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Library Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 3 March 2014 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Education Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Architecture Shelf Economic Studies Shelf
Political Science Shelf Military Shelf Business Shelf
Psychology Shelf Cookbook Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Science Shelf Gardening Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Library Science Shelf Sports Shelf
Biography Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf
Music Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Civil War Shelf
Philosophy Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Virgil's Aeneid In Modern Verse
Howard Felperin
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200
Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781491878194, $42.65, www.amazon.com

The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, and tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who traveled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of 9,896 lines in dactylic hexameter. The first six of the poem's twelve books tell the story of Aeneas' wanderings from Troy to Italy, and the poem's second half tells of the Trojans' ultimately victorious war upon the Latins, under whose name Aeneas and his Trojan followers are destined to be subsumed. The hero Aeneas was already known to Greco-Roman legend and myth, having been a character in the Iliad, composed in the 8th century BC. Virgil took the disconnected tales of Aeneas' wanderings, his vague association with the foundation of Rome and a personage of no fixed characteristics other than a scrupulous piety, and fashioned this into a compelling founding myth or national epic that at once tied Rome to the legends of Troy, explained the Punic wars, glorified traditional Roman virtues and legitimized the Julio-Claudian dynasty as descendants of the founders, heroes and gods of Rome and Troy. "Virgil's Aeneid In Modern Verse" by Howard Felperin is an impressive presented, thoroughly 'reader friendly', 504 page compendium offering an engaging translation into modern English, and one that will make this epic Latin poem accessible to a whole new generation of appreciative readers. "Virgil's Aeneid In Modern Verse" is especially recommended for student reading lists and community library collections.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writing Historical Fiction
Celia Brayfield and Duncan Sprott
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781780937854 $24.95 www.bloomsbury.com

Writing Historical Fiction: A Writers' & Artists' Companion is an in-depth companion, guide, and resource for anyone working on a great period piece novel of any era in human history. Part one offers reflections, an overview, and a history of the historical fiction genre; part two consists of tips, tricks, and techniques from literally dozens of accomplished authors and guest contributors; and part three offers focused advice on everything from research methods to the writing process to getting published in the increasingly competitive modern era. "Remember that info can be shunted sideways. We don't know what Alexander the Great ate for breakfast. But we do know that the ancient Greeks in general ate hot dough dipped in honey, or in neat wine, for breakfast. It's not unreasonable to assume that Alexander ate hot dough for breakfast too. If you proceed according to this slightly wacky logic, you are writing what is essentially the truth. It's as true as it can be." A bibliography and an index round out this absolute "must-have" for aspiring and practicing authors in the genre!


The Education Shelf

Educating Literacy Teachers Online
Lane W. Clarke & Susan Watts-Taffe
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
www.tcpress.com
9780807754962, $33.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Lane W. Clarke (Assistant Professor and Literacy Concentration Leader in the Education Department of the University of new England) and Susan Watts-Taffe (Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Reading Endorsement Program at the University of Cincinnati), "Educating Literacy Teachers Online: Tools, Techniques, and Transformations" is a 160 page instructional guide specifically written to enable classroom literacy teachers to avail themselves of the online resources. A seminal work, "Educating Literacy Teachers Online: Tools, Techniques, and Transformations" is deftly written, impressively organized, accessibly presented, and thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end. Practical and informative, "Educating Literacy Teachers Online: Tools, Techniques, and Transformations" is highly recommended reading for not only classroom teachers, but literacy program coordinators seeking to update and upgrade their curriculums. "Educating Literacy Teachers Online: Tools, Techniques, and Transformations" should be considered a mandatory addition to academic library Education & Language Arts reference collections, as well as the supplemental reading lists of student teachers intending on entering the specialized field of literacy education.

The Student Engagement Handbook
Elisabeth Dunne & Derfel Owen
Emerald Group Publishing
84 Sherman Street, Cambridge, MA 02140
www.emeraldinsight.com
9781781904237, $140.00, www.amazon.com

The collaborative editorial work of University of Exeter (UK) academicians Elisabeth Dunne and Derfel Owen, "The Student Engagement Handbook: Practice in Higher Education" is a 580 page compendium comprised of thirty-three informed and informative essays by experts in the field of education the ways educational institutions are striving to understand and improve their student's learning environment. Of particular value are the numerous examples of innovative and inspiring means of engaging educators and educational policy makers have developed with the students in practice, empowering those students to engage in the decision-making processes and enabling them create and implement change. An impressive body of seminal work and enduring value, "The Student Engagement Handbook: Practice in Higher Education" is especially recommended for academic library Educational Studies reference collections in general, and Education Administration supplemental reading lists in particular. It should be noted that "The Student Engagement Handbook: Practice in Higher Education" is also available in a Kindle edition ($112.00).


The Native American Studies Shelf

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

The latest addition to the University of Manitoba Press outstanding 'Critical Studies in Native History' series, "Elder Brother and the Law of the People: Contemporary Kinship and Cowessess First Nation" by Robert Alexander Innes is a 216 page study of Canada's pre-reserve era Aboriginal bands in the northern plains maintained whose fluid and inclusive membership through traditional kinship practices were governed by the 'Law of the People' as described in traditional Elder Brother stories. Elder Brother stories outlined social interaction, marriage, adoption, and kinship roles and responsibilities. In "Elder Brother and the Law of the People" provides students of Native American Studies with a detailed analysis of the role of Elder Brother stories in historical and contemporary kinship practices in Cowessess First Nation, located in southeastern Saskatchewan. "Elder Brother and the Law of the People" reveals how these practices came to undermine legal and scholarly definitions of "Indian" and counter the perception that First Nations people have internalized such classifications. Presenting an new perspective on northern plans Aboriginal cultural identity, "Elder Brother and the Law of the People" is a seminal work of impressive scholarship and strongly recommended as a core addition to academic library Native American Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "Elder Brother and the Law of the People" is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.19).


The Architecture Shelf

Architectural Guide: Hong Kong
Ulf Meyer
DOM Publishers
c/o Lakewood Art & Architecture
406 Wyckoff Mills Road, East Windsor, NJ 08520
9783869222011, $39.95, www.amazon.com

Architecture is both the process and the product of planning, designing, and constructing buildings and other physical structures. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural symbols and as works of art. Historical civilizations are often identified with their surviving architectural achievements. Compiled with informative commentary by Ulf Meyer, "Architectural Guide: Hong Kong" is a profusely and beautifully illustrated, 176 page compendium showcasing an impressive series of architectural gems that combine functionality with aesthetics, the practical with the artistic, in what is an outstanding survey. Very highly recommended to the attention of architects and students of architecture, "Architectural Guide: Hong Kong" would also admirably serve as a supplemental guide for visitor itineraries to Hong Kong.


The Economic Studies Shelf

The Implosion of Contemporary Capitalism
Samir Amin
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W, NY, NY 10001
www.monthlyreview.org
9781583674208, $16.00, www.amazon.com

Samir Amin (born 3 September 1931) is an Egyptian Marxian economist who lives and works in Dakar, Senegal. In "The Implosion of Contemporary Capitalism", Amin presents insightful, informative, analytical commentary on the key contemporary economic events ranging from the recent global financial crisis, the economic problems and prospects of emerging nations, the effect of globalization, financialization, the impact of political Islam, the Euro-zone implosion, and more. Erudite, articulate, and accessible to both experts and non-specialist general readers with an interest in global economics alike, "The Implosion of Contemporary Capitalism" is very highly recommended reading and a critically important contribution to academic library Economic Studies reference collections. It should be noted that "The Implosion of Contemporary Capitalism" is also available in both a hardcover edition (9781583674215, $79.00) and a Kindle edition ($8.69).


The Political Science Shelf

The Presidency And Political Science, second edition
Raymond Tatalovich & Steven E. Schier
M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504
www.mesharpe.com
9780765642288, $32.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Raymond Tatalovich (Professor of Political Science, Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois) and Steven E. Schier (Dorthy H. and Edward C. Congdon professor of Political Science, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota), now available in a newly revised and updated second edition, "The Presidency and Political Science: Paradigms of Presidential Power from the Founding to the Present" is a 336 page compendium providing an historical and analytical overview and perspective on the evolution of presidential authority. A work of seminal and documented scholarship, "The Presidency And Political Science" begins with an informed and informative Foreword (The End of Presidential Power) and Introduction (Exploring the Scope of Presidential Power), and is then organized into three major sections: The Origins of Constitutionalism; Progressivism and the Critics; The Empirical Presidency. Of special note is the authors concluding commentary 'The Empirical Presidency and Presidential Power'. An invaluable and highly recommended contribution to the field of American political science, it should be noted that "The Presidency And Political Science" is also available in a hardcover edition (9780765642271, $74.95).

The Legislative Legacy Of Edward M. Kennedy
Craig A. Horowitz
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786478736, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (February 22, 1932 - August 25, 2009) was the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. He was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and was the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history, having served there for almost 47 years. Ted Kennedy entered the Senate in a November 1962 special election to fill the seat once held by his brother John. He was elected to a full six-year term in 1964 and was reelected seven more times before his death. "The Legislative Legacy of Edward M. Kennedy: Eleven Milestones in Pursuit of Social Justice, 1965-2007" is a 232 page compendium by Craig A. Horowitz that provides an historical and analytical overview of ten major pieces of legislation that Senator Kennedy supported -- including legislatively unintended consequences when Kennedy sought to promote social and governmental reforms, including those dealing with racial and gender discrimination. Informative, deftly written, soundly analytical, insightful, "The Legislative Legacy of Edward M. Kennedy: Eleven Milestones in Pursuit of Social Justice, 1965-2007" is very highly recommended reading and an invaluable contribution to academic library American Political Science reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Military Shelf

The Ultimate Deployment Guide
Paul N. Smith & SFC Kristina A. Smith
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611211429, $18.95, www.amazon.com

There are a great many lifestyle changes when making the transition from civilian to military life. There are also significant changes from a stateside military posting to being deployed to a posting overseas -- especially if that posting is to a country with elements hostile to an American military presence. "The Ultimate Deployment Guidebook: Insight into the Deployed Soldier and a Guide for the First-Time Deployed" is a 216 page compendium of instruction, advice and commentary free from military jargon and acronyms, making it easily accessible to novice members of the military and their families. Practical tips are provided on a number of issues ranging from shower etiquette, to meals, to figuring out if what's going on with the locals is a riot or a celebration. "The Ultimate Deployment Guide" provides a pre-deployment checklist and shows how to create a financial plan for time spent overseas. Enhanced with the inclusion of a list of organizations that support deployed service members, a list of suggested care package items with mailing tips, and many other helpful suggestions to make life more enjoyable and meaningful while our loved ones serve and defend the country we love, "The Ultimate Deployment Guide" should be considered a "must" for anyone being deployed for their first time. It should be noted that "The Ultimate Deployment Guide" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).


The Business Shelf

Essential Business Networking
Andrea R. Nierenberg
Pearson Education
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.pearsoned.com
9780133742886, $29.99, www.amazon.com

"Essential Business Networking: Tips, Tactics, and Tools You Can Use" by networking expert Andrea R. Nierenberg is a 200 page instruction guide and manual that shows the reader how to start networking immediately with easy steps that can be taken without delay; build on strengths already present; find 10 extra minutes a day for networking; connect with 10 types of great new contacts; 'give first' (because that's what networking is all about); tell people why they need to know you - in 20 seconds; listen better, ask better questions, and show you care (because you do); learn 3 effective ways to remember names; do the simple follow-up that makes you unforgettable; create high-value connections between your contacts; set goals, keep track, and learn from experience; become the go-to leader of your network; and transform networking from a chore into a pleasure!. Of special note is the inclusion of the appendix: Six-Month Weekly Networking Reminders. Thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Essential Business Networking" is highly recommended reading and will prove invaluable for anyone seeking to create and utilize networking to advance their corporate goals. It should be noted that "Essential Business Networking" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.19).


The Psychology Shelf

Interpersonal Relationships
Diana Jackson-Dwyer
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8, NY, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9780415429160, $30.95, www.amazon.com

The latest addition to the outstanding Foundations of Psychology series from Routledge, "Interpersonal Relationships" by psychologist and academician Diana Jackson-Dwyer is a 200 page compendium that addresses the place of human relationships within the history and context of psychology; the evolution roots of relationships; research methodologies utilized in the study of relationships; and the different categories of relationships including kinship, friendship, love and mating. Of special note are the chapter specific learning objectives and summaries of key points; study boxes presenting reflective exercises, research questions and discussion issues; glossaries and suggestions for further reading. A model of scholarship and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Interpersonal Relationships" is very highly recommended for psychology student and counselor supplemental reading lists and academic library Psychology Studies reference collections. It should be noted that "Interpersonal Relationships" is also available in both a hardcover edition (9780415429153, $125.00) and a Kindle edition ($17.02).


The Cookbook Shelf

250 Best Meals In A Mug
Camilla V. Saulsbury
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
www.robertrose.ca
9780778804741, $24.95, www.amazon.com

A veritable cornucopia of delicious, nutritious, and kitchen cook friendly recipes-for-one, "250 Best Meals In A Mug" will prove to be especially welcome by anyone who is pressed for time and dining solo. These palate pleasing, appetite satisfying dishes range from Creamy Blue Cheese Pasta; Cinnamon Sugar Muffin; Manhattan Clam Chowder; and Chickpea Potato Masala; to BBQ Chicken Mashed Potato Bowl; Sesame Noodles; Chocolate Trail Mix Bark; and Banana Pudding. Of special note are the color photographs of finished dishes that can't help but inspire their inclusion into a satisfying meal experience. In addition to the recipes themselves, "250 Best Meals In A Mug" is enhanced with the inclusion of an informative introduction, as well as basic information on the use of a microwave with preparing a meal in a mug, 'Mug Smarts', 'The Mug Meals Pantry', and on measuring out ingredients for a mug-based recipe. A terrific family cookbook, "250 Best Meals In A Mug" will also prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library cookbook collections.

Rawsome Vegan Baking
Emily von Euw
Page Street Publishing
27 congress Street, Suite 103, Salem, MA 01970
The Trina Kaye Organization (publicity)
www.pagestreetpublishing.com
www.ThisRawsomeVeganLife.com
9781624140556, $19.99, www.amazon.com

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, as well as following an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of sentient animals. A follower of veganism is known as a vegan. Expertly compiled by Emily von Euw, "Rawsome Vegan Baking: An Un-cookbook for Raw, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Beautiful and Sinfully Sweet Cookies, Cakes, Bars & Cupcakes" is a 224 page, beautifully illustrated, 'kitchen cook friendly' compendium offering a wide range of vegan culinary creations ranging from a Double Decadence Chocolate Silk Cake with Hazelnut Crust; to a Sorbet with Strawberries, Agave & Mint; to Endless Energy Bars with Nuts, Seeds, Figs, Raisins & Sweet Coconut Drizzle; to Super Sexy Cacao cashew Cupcakes. "Rawsome Vegan Baking" documents and demonstrates that a vegan diet can (and indeed does!) include elegant desserts suitable for all manner of dinning occasions, making it strongly recommended for personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections in general, and Vegan/Vegetarian specialty cookbook shelves in particular. It should be noted that "Rawsome Vegan Baking" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.89).

Feasting On Food Storage
Jane P. Merrill & Karen M. Sunderland
Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, Utah 84663
www.cedarfort.com
9781462112890, $18.99, www.amazon.com

The Mormon Church advises its members to have a one year supply of food and other necessities on hand in the even of emergency. Often specific food items that are canned or boxed are purchases in case lots. Buying in bulk saves money. But for a food storage supply to be truly useful by the time an emergency arises, the stored foods must be kept 'fresh' by using them up in a systematic way so that when an item is utilized it is replaced so that the basic year's supply of it is kept intact. That's why "Feasting on Food Storage: Delicious and Healthy Recipes for Everyday Cooking" by Jane P. Merrill and Karen M. Sunderland will prove extraordinarily useful. This 304 page culinary compendium is comprised of thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for nutritious and delicious dishes ranging from Hamburger Soup; Chicken Dinner in a Pot; Mac and Cheese in a Skillet; and Quick Enchilada Casserole; to Pumpkin Bars; Quick Rice Pudding; Caesar Salad; and Beef Stroganoff. Of special note is the roster of recipes for Perfect Whole Wheat Bread for large, medium, and small batches. Enhanced with advice on how to plan meals using food storage items, how to store water safely, recipes for baby food, home remedies, and even gluten-free options, "Feasting on Food Storage: Delicious and Healthy Recipes for Everyday Cooking" is an ideal and highly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

In A While, Crocodile
Patrice Keller Kononchek & Lauren Malone Keller
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelicanpub.com
9781455618422, $18.95, www.amazon.com

Next to the microwave oven, the slow-cooker (often called a crock pot) is a busy wife's best friend in the kitchen when it comes to the ease of making family meals. "In a While, Crocodile: New Orleans Slow Cooker Recipes" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 112 page compendium showcasing a culinary treasure of more than fifty authentic southern recipes which are ideal for the family crock pot. With recipes ranging from Marigny Mushrooms; Audubon Zoo Shrimp and Okra Stew; Jazzy Jambalaya; and French Quarter French Dip; to Baronne Street Bruscialoni; City Park Corn Bread; Shotgun Sweet Potatoes; and Big Easy Bananas Foster, "In a While, Crocodile: New Orleans Slow Cooker Recipes" present 'kitchen cook friendly' dishes that will please any palate and satisfy any appetite. "In a While, Crocodile: New Orleans Slow Cooker Recipes" is an extraordinary and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Gluten Free, Hassle Free, second edition
Marlisa Brown
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, NY, NY 10036
www.demoshealth.com
9781936303588, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, "Gluten Free, Hassle Free: A Simple, Sane, Dietitian-Approved Program For Eating Your Way Back to Health" by registered dietician and certified diabetes educator Marlisa Brown is a 480 page compendium specifically written to be accessible to the non-specialist general reader and kitchen cook with an interest in providing meals that are easy to prepare and gluten free. Of special note is the information on diagnosing gluten disorders, the latest gluten-free labeling regulations, complete meal plans, and the more than 140 recipes ranging from Strawberry Shortcake; to Apple Cranberry Quinoa Salad; to Easy Chicken and Rice Soup; to Cheddar Quesadillas. Of special note is the chapter on 'Making It Easy for Children' addressing cross-contamination tips, kids at school, on field trips and picnics, on holidays and family events, at camps, 'eating on the go', gluten-free snacks, and more. Enhanced with a Recipe Directory with Allergy Information and a comprehensive index, "Gluten Free, Hassle Free, Second Edition: A Simple, Sane, Dietitian-Approved Program For Eating Your Way Back to Health" is very highly recommended for family and community library Health/Medicine and Specialty Cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Gluten Free, Hassle Free, Second Edition: A Simple, Sane, Dietitian-Approved Program For Eating Your Way Back to Health" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.49).


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Fur Seals And Sea Lions
Roger Kirkwood & Simon Goldsworthy
CSIRO Publishing
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9780643096929, $45.00, www.amazon.com

Fur seals are any of nine species of pinnipeds in the Otariidae family. One species, the northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) inhabits the North Pacific, while seven species in the Arctocephalus genus are found primarily in the Southern Hemisphere. They are much more closely related to sea lions than true seals, and share with them external ears (pinnae), relatively long and muscular foreflippers, and the ability to walk on all fours. They are marked by their dense underfur, which made them a long-time object of commercial hunting. Sea lions are sea mammals characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short, thick hair. Together with the fur seals they comprise the family Otariidae, eared seals, which contains six extant and one extinct species (the Japanese sea lion) in five genera. Their range extends from the subarctic to tropical waters of the global ocean in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, with the notable exception of the northern Atlantic Ocean. They have an average life span of 20 - 30 years. The collaborative work of Roger Kirkwood and Simon Goldsworthy, "Fur Seals and Sea Lions" is an illustrated, 160 page comparative descriptive analysis of seal and sea lion evolutionary ecology, biology, life-history, behavior, conservation status, and research on these two species. An impressively detailed, yet thoroughly accessible text makes the information readily accessible and recommended for both biology students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in these animals. Also available in a Kindle edition, "Fur Seals and Sea Lions" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library wildlife reference collections.


The Science Shelf

The Volcano Registry
Harris M. Lentz III
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786493593, $29.95, www.amazon.com

A volcano is an opening, or rupture, in the surface or crust of the Earth or a planetary mass object, which allows hot lava, volcanic ash and gases to escape from the magma chamber below the surface. Volcanoes are generally found where tectonic plates are diverging or converging. A mid-oceanic ridge, for example the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, has examples of volcanoes caused by divergent tectonic plates pulling apart; the Pacific Ring of Fire has examples of volcanoes caused by convergent tectonic plates coming together. By contrast, volcanoes are not usually created where two tectonic plates slide past one another. Volcanoes can also form where there is stretching and thinning of the Earth's crust in the interiors of plates, e.g., in the East African Rift, the Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field and the Rio Grande Rift in North America. This type of volcanism falls under the umbrella of "Plate hypothesis" volcanism. Volcanism away from plate boundaries has also been explained as mantle plumes. These so-called "hotspots", for example Hawaii, are postulated to arise from up-welling diapirs with magma from the core - mantle boundary, 3,000 km deep in the Earth. "The Volcano Registry: Names, Locations, Descriptions and Histories for over 1500 Sites" by academician Harris M. Lentz III is a 200 page compendium comprised of an encyclopedic style listing of more than 1500 volcanic sites around the world that includes their individual locations, descriptions, and histories. Of special note are the appendices listing unnamed volcanoes, features previously thought to be volcanoes, generic terms used in volcano names, and even the volcanoes found on Jupiter's moon Io. Enhanced with the inclusion of a bibliography, "The Volcano Registry: Names, Locations, Descriptions and Histories for over 1500 Sites" is an important and highly desirable addition to academic library Vulcanology Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Gardening Shelf

Sunset Western Garden Book Of Landscaping
Kathleen Norris Brenzel
Sunset Magazine
c/o Oxmoor House
3000 University Center Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612-6408
www.oxmoorhouse.com
Dadascope Communications (publicity)
9780376030108, $29.95, www.amazon.com

The American West, (and most especially the southwest) has been under drought conditions for the past two decades with no sign of let up. That makes gardening in the western states especially difficult. That's why the "Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping: The Complete Guide to Designing Beautiful Paths, Patios, Plantings and More" will prove to be an invaluable instruction guide, manual, and source of inspiration for homeowners with an interest in improving the esthetic appearance of their homes and properties. Enhanced and illustrated with some 600 full color photographs, "Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping: The Complete Guide to Designing Beautiful Paths, Patios, Plantings and More" will provide western homeowners and avid gardening enthusiasts with a wealth of practical and esthetic ideas for their gardens ranging from arbors and trellises, to firepits, patios, fences, walls and more. Of special note is the information, commentary, and ideas for ground covers, native plants, and trees. With reference to "Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping: The Complete Guide to Designing Beautiful Paths, Patios, Plantings and More", even the most novice of gardeners will be able to remodel any existing garden utilizing outdoor fabric, paint, lighting, portable water features, found items, etc. Thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping: The Complete Guide to Designing Beautiful Paths, Patios, Plantings and More" is an ideal and very highly recommended instruction guide.


The American History Shelf

Histories Of American Christianity
Christopher H. Evans
Baylor University Press
One Bear Place, #97363, Waco, TX 76798-7363
www.baylorpress.com
9781602585454, $44.95, www.amazon.com

No other country on earth has a larger percentage of their population self-identify as being religious. Religion (principally Christianity) has been an integral part of the history of America from its founding down to the present day. Histories of American Christianity: An Introduction" by Christopher H. Evans (Professor of the History of Christianity, Boston University School of Theology) is a 403 page compendium providing an introduction and informative overview of the pluralism and impact of Christianity (especially the Protestant churches) upon American culture, society, and politics. Exceptionally well written and presented, "Histories of American Christianity: An Introduction" is chronologically organized into five major sections: Constructing a Protestant Worldview 1600-1800; The Evangelical Empire and Its Critics 1800-1865; American Christianity in Tumult 1865-1920; American Christianity and Modernity 1920-1965; The Restructuring of American Christianity 1965-2009. Enhanced with an Epilogue, extensive notes, a select bibliography, and an index of names as well as an index of subject, "Histories of American Christianity: An Introduction" is a very highly recommended history for personal, seminary, community, and academic library Christian Studies and American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "Histories of American Christianity: An Introduction" is also available in a Kindle edition ($42.47).


The World History Shelf

Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography
Kerry Brown, editor-in-chief
Berkshire Publishing Group
120-122 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
www.berkshirepublishing.com
9781933782669, $595.00, www.amazon.com

"The Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography" is a three volume, 1750 page, encyclopedic compendium comprised of contributions from one hundred internationally recognized experts from nearly a dozen countries. It is specifically designed to accessibly present the entire span of Chinese history in the form of succinct biographical descriptions of China's emperors, politicians, poets, writers, artists, scientists, explorers, and philosophers who have shaped and transformed culture, politics, economics, technology, and social structure of China over the course of five thousand years. In 135 entries, ranging from 1,000 to 8,000 words the "Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography" ranges from the possibly mythological figures of ancient China down to the 20th Century Communist leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Deftly written in-depth essays present a complex historical context, providing readers with a compelling narrative that weaves abstract concepts and disparate events into a coherent story. Of special note are the cross-references between the articles showing the connections between times, places, movements, events, and individuals. Enhanced with the inclusion of a time line of key events, a pronunciation guide, a bibliography, lists of rulers and other prominent people, and other supplemental materials for students of Chinese history and culture, "Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography" is an impressive and seminal work of outstanding scholarship and a critically important addition to academic library biographical reference collections in general and Chinese History Studies supplemental reading lists in particular.


The Library Science Shelf

Exploring Digital Libraries
Karen Calhoun
Neal-Shuman Publishers
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9781555709853, $95.00, www.amazon.com

An electronic library (colloquially referred to as a digital library) is a focused collection of digital objects that can include text, visual material, audio material, video material, stored as electronic media formats (as opposed to print, microform, or other media), along with means for organizing, storing, and retrieving the files and media contained in the library collection. Digital libraries can vary immensely in size and scope, and can be maintained by individuals, organizations, or affiliated with established physical library buildings or institutions, or with academic institutions. The electronic content may be stored locally, or accessed remotely via computer networks. Basically, an electronic library is a type of information retrieval system. "Exploring Digital Libraries: Foundations, Practice, Prospects" by academic librarian Karen Calhoun is a 224 page compendium offering a complete introduction to digital library development, maintenance, and utilization. Of special note is the chapter devoted to 'Digital libraries and the social web: collections and platforms'. An extraordinarily well organized and presented instructional guide, "Exploring Digital Libraries" is especially recommended as a supplementary Library Science curriculum text, as well as useful manual for community and academic librarians seeking to develop and offer digital library resources for their patrons.


The Sports Shelf

Media Relations In Sport, fourth edition
Brad Schultz, Philip H. Caskey, Craig Esherick
Fitness Information Technology
West Virginia University
262 Coliseum, WVU-PE, PO Box 6116
Morgantown, WV 26506-6116
www.fitinfotech.com www.fitpublishing.com
9781935412946, $69.00, www.amazon.com

Professional and amateur organized sports are big business and like all economic enterprises have strong media requirement to insure financial success. Now in a completely updated and significantly expanded fourth edition, "Media Relations In Sport" is a 312 page compendium compiled and written by the team of Brad Schultz (Associate Professor, School of Journalism and New Media, University of Mississippi), Philip H. Caskey (Social Studies Educator, University High School, Morgantown, West Virginia), and Craig Esherick (Assistant Professor, School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism, George mason University) that provides a complete and comprehensive introduction to all the elements of media relations with respect to sports. Individual chapters address print media, broadcast media, social media and technology, sports information specialists, developing interviewing skills, developing writing skills, creating promotional guides, event management, publicity crisis management, global sports media relations, law and ethics. Enhanced with extensive references and a comprehensive index, "Media Relations In Sport" is an ideal text book for college and university curriculums, and should be considered an invaluable reference for anyone engaging in any form of media with respect to sports reporting, sports team advocacy, and sports franchise promotion.

Sponsorship For Sport Managers
John L. Crompton
Fitness Information Technology
West Virginia University
262 Coliseum, WVU-PE, PO Box 6116
Morgantown, WV 26506-6116
www.fitpublishing.com
9781935412540, $72.00, www.amazon.com

A sponsor is a person or organization that pays the cost of an activity or event (such as a radio or television program, sports event, concert, etc.) in return for the right to advertise during the activity or event; a person or organization that gives someone money for participating in a charity event (such as a walk or race); an organization that gives money to an athlete for training, clothes, equipment, etc., in return for the right to use the athlete for advertising. Financial sponsorships is a critically important revenue source for athletes, sports teams, and sports franchises and therefore a major task for the managers of those athletes, sports teams, and sport franchises. It is also a typically neglected subject in collegiate and university physical education curriculums. That's why John L. Crompton's "Sponsorship for Sport Managers" will prove to be an invaluable instructional guide and manual to understanding how companies use sponsorships in their marketing programs and publicity campaigns, how to be effectively responsive to the needs of a sponsor, setting appropriate fees for sponsor participation, and how to determine sponsor solicitation and utilization effectiveness. Practical, 'real-world' oriented, superbly organized and presented, "Sponsorship for Sport Managers" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone charged with a managerial responsibility in sports and would make an excellent addition to personal, professional, academic, corporate, and sports franchise reference libraries.


The Biography Shelf

In the Governor's Shadow
Carol O'Keefe Wilson
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415537 $29.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

In the Governor's Shadow: The True Story of Ma and Pa Ferguson is a sordid true tale of rampant political corruption. In 1915, newly elected Texas governor James Ferguson took office to high popular expectations, but his term was a disaster. He'd campaigned on an appeal to rural constituents and a temporary hiatus from the Prohibition debate; what the electorate received was a tangled mess of corruption and cronyism. Ferguson's financial problems, questionable business sense, and uncomfortably close relationship with Texas brewers, combined with extreme personal incompetence, proved to be his political downfall - charges were brought against him through impeachment. He defiantly launched a campaign to regain the political power he had squandered, and in 1925 he aided his wife, Miriam in a successful bid for governorship. History repeated itself when one scandal after another tarnished her administration. In the Governor's Shadow is an in-depth expose of back-door deals, disregard for the law, and flagrant misconduct, and its cautionary true tale of these charismatic yet deleterious politicians is filled with crucial lessons that are just as relevant today as they were almost a century ago. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library biography, American history, or political science shelves.

Pioneer Programmer
Jean Jennings Bartik, author
Jon T. Rickman & Kim D. Todd, editors
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
http://tsup.truman.edu
9781612480862, $32.00, www.amazon.com

Jean Jennings Bartik (December 27, 1924 - March 23, 2011) was one of the original programmers for the ENIAC computer. Her maiden name was Betty Jean Jennings and she attended Northwest Missouri State Teachers College, majoring in mathematics. In 1945, she was hired by the University of Pennsylvania to work for Army Ordnance at Aberdeen Proving Ground. When the ENIAC computer was developed for the purpose of calculating ballistics trajectories, she was selected to be one of its first programmers. Bartik later became part of a group charged with converting the ENIAC into a stored program computer; in the original implementation, ENIAC was programmed by setting dials and changing cable connections. She went on to work on the BINAC and UNIVAC I computers. Collaboratively edited by the team of Jon T. Rickman and Kim D. Todd, "Pioneer Programmer: Jean Jennings Bartik and the Computer that Changed the World" is Bartik's autobiography. This 248 page compendium of her life is enhanced with the inclusion of 57 black-and-white period photographs. More than just a memoir, "Pioneer Programmer" is also an extraordinary eye-witness account of the birth of the modern computer age and therefore very highly recommended for academic library American Biography and Computer Science History reference collection and supplemental reading list. It should be noted that "Pioneer Programmer" is also available in a Kindle edition ($24.99).


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Aphrodite: Goddess of Love
George O'Connor
A Neal Porter Book
First Second
175 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.olympiansrule.com
9781596437395 $9.99 www.firstsecondbooks.com

Part of the "Olympians" series of full-color graphic novel adaptations of Greek mythology, Aphrodite: Goddess of Love tells the story of the deific personification of love, seduction, and desire. The stories of Aphrodite's origin and interactions with gods and mortals are sanitized just enough to be suitable to readers of all ages, while remaining faithful to the cruel and dangerous chronicles of Greek mythology. Aphrodite's story culminates in the legendary competition between Aphrodite, Helen, and Athena to determine who is the most beautiful. "As king of the gods, it fell to Zeus to settle disputes among the Olympians. But he wasn't stupid. 'Ladies, you are all so beautiful to me, I couldn't possibly judge.'" (The artwork of Zeus' desperately insincere smile when he speaks these words is a sight to behold). One does not need to be a scholar of Greek mythology to thoroughly enjoy the epic struggles of gods and hapless mortals! Highly recommended for both personal and public library collections, as are the previous graphic novels in the series: "Zeus: King of the Gods", "Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess", "Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory", "Hades: Lord of the Dead", and "Poseidon: Earth Shaker".


The Audiobook Shelf

Foreign Gods, Inc.
Okey Ndibe, author
Dominic Hoffman, narrator
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969
Ashland, OR 97520
9781482968255 $32.95 www.BlackstoneAudio.com

Okey Ndibe (teacher of African Literature at Brown University) presents Foreign Gods, Inc., the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a novel about desperation. Ike is a Nigerian cab driver in New York, who despite his economics degree can barely make enough money to survive, let alone meet the needs of his fractious African-American wife or his widowed mother. He hatches a dangerous but potentially lucrative plan - to travel back to Nigeria, steal the statue of an ancient war deity from his home village, and sell it to a New York gallery. His plot leads him to estranged friends and family, as well as the middle of an ongoing conflict between those in his village who worship the deity and those who practice Christianity. An examination of thorny moral choices, the pressures of globalization, and being caught between two dramatically different worlds, Foreign Gods, Inc. is captivating from beginning to end. 10 CDs, 11 1/2 hours.

Do You Believe in Magic?
Paul A. Offit, MD, author
Corey Snow, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781452619262 $37.99 www.tantor.com

"There's no such thing as alternative medicine. There's only medicine that works and medicine that doesn't," states medical expert Paul A. Offit, MD (chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and director of the Vaccine Education Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia). "Do You Believe in Magic? The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine" is the unabridged audiobook rendition of his cautionary warning. Offit lays bare the shameful deceptions of the alternative medicine industry. Although some alternative medicine patients can benefit from the placebo response (when a person starts to feel or be healthier just because they think they're being treated, even though they aren't), far too many of these so-called treatments are ineffective, expensive, injurious, or even fatal. Alternative medicine is a largely unregulated industry, and without that legal obligation to prove its claims or disclose its risks, it can cause great harm either directly (when "treatments" are harmful) or indirectly (by luring patients away from the traditional medicine that is more likely to help them the sooner they receive it). Offit takes a stand against phony cancer-cure claims, anti-aging hucksters, and conspiracy theorists whose claim that vaccines cause autism has been scientifically debunked over and over again. Anyone and everyone considering alternative medicine treatments should first listen carefully to Offit's wisdom! Highly recommended, especially for public library collections. 5 CDs, 6 hours.


The Library CD Shelf

Libation
Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
www.sierraleonesrefugeeallstars.com
Cumbancha
413 Carpenter Road, Charlotte, VT 05445
www.cumbancha.com
c/o Press Junkie PR (publicity)
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
$15.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars is a musical performance group who celebrate their African cultural heritage while taking stand against tribalism, regionalism, and divisive violence in their latest album, Libation. The title refers to a common African custom of pouring a small amount of drink on the ground as an offering to gods, spirits, ancestors, or departed loved ones. Brimming with rhythm, enthusiasm for life, and the will to build a better world, Libation is a choice pick for international music collections. The tracks are "Chaimra" (3:50), "Can't Make Me Lonely" (3:29), "It's So Sorry" (4:24), "Gbaenyama" (4:38), "Rich But Poor" (4:34), "Ghana Baby" (3:05), "Manjalagi" (4:18), "Maria" (3:43), "Money No Do" (3:58), "Treat You Right" (4:11), "Min Do Sin Tay" (3:48), and "No Feel Bad O" (3:48).

Gypsy Dream
Ferenc Illenyi with Andrew Leinhard, Erich Avinger, Chris Maresh, and guests
MesaBluemoon Recordings
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Hungarian-born violinist Ferenc Illenyi presents Gypsy Dream, an instrumental odyssey. Accompanying Illenyi are expert jazz pianist Andrew Leinhard, Erich Avinger on the guitar, Chris Maresh playing acoustic bass, and other contributing musicians. Gypsy Dream especially delves into the ever-evolving legacy of Hungarian "Gypsy music", which has a long tradition of being open to improvisation or additions. Soulful, invigorating, and rewarding, Gypsy Dream is a gem for any international music collection. The tracks are "Ando Beco" (4:30), "Tears" (4:06), "Boabdit, Bulerias" (3:50), "Gypsy Caprice" (4:33), "Indifference" (5:54), "Oblivion" (3:33), "Tortura" (5:14), "A Minor Swing" (3:18), "Gloomy Sunday" (3:19), "Birds of Santa Maria Novella" (5:51), and "Sonata in F Minor K466" (4:30).

Faya
Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate
Cumbancha Music Publishing
413 Carpenter Road, Charlotte, VT 05445
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
$15.00 CD/ $9.99 MP3 www.cumbancha.com

US-born, England-based rapper/beatboxer/singer Joe Driscoll and Guinean kora (a West African stringed instrument similar in sound to a harp) master Sekou Kouyate combine their musical talents in their smash debut album Faya. Though Driscoll and Kouyate do not share a common language (Kouyate speaks French and very little English; Driscoll speaks English and no French at all), music enables their flowing communication, and introduces listeners worldwide to an international fusion of stellar talent. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Tanama" (3:29), "Passport" (3:47), "Faya" (3:37), "Lady" (3:38), "Ghetto Many" (4:10), "Birnakely" (3:18), "Wonamati" (3:11), "New York" (3:25), "Zion" (3:30), and "Faya (Gentleman's Dub Club Remix)" (3:50).

Up.Rooted
Gina Chavez
www.ginachavez.com
Privately Published
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
$TBA CD / $9.99 download www.cdbaby.com

Award-winning Austin singer and songwriter Gina Chavez presents Up. Rooted, her sophomore studio album about reaching out to her Latin roots. Chavez, who is of Mexican and Swiss-German descent, has traveled from Austin to do community work (living with Catholic nuns and teaching English at a girls' school) in El Salvador. In the process she learned more about Latin American culture and music, and elements of her transformative journey enrich her mellifluous stylings. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Save Me" (4:31), "Gotta Get" (4:09), "Like an Animal" (4:37), "Maiz" (3:54), "Siete-D" (4:01), "The Sweet Sound of Your Name" (4:38), "Soy Quien Soy" (3:56), "Fire Water" (3:12), "Will You Love" (3:39), "Miles de Millas" (4:16), and "Todo Cambia" (5:00).


The Library DVD Shelf

Think Before You Drink
Learning ZoneXpress
667 East Vine Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
$79.95 www.learningzonexpress.com

Printable teaching materials online at www.learningzonexpress.com/worksheets complement Think Before You Drink: Sugar Shockers & Beverage Tips, an educational DVD for viewers of all ages, about the often harmful way in which high-sugar drinks affect the average American diet (alcoholic drinks are not covered in this DVD). From why sugary sport drinks can actually be deleterious to performance, to the jitters and sleep disturbance of caffeinated energy drinks, to how sugar soda contributes to obesity, to recommendations for healthy beverages, Think Before You Drink is an excellent contribution to public and school library DVD collections. 25 min. closed-captioned.

Parenting Principles
Featuring Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D.
Learning ZoneXpress
667 East Vine Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
$79.95 www.learningzonexpress.com

An educational DVD accessible to viewers of all ages, Parenting Principles discusses the ten basic precepts of good parenting. Adolescent and parenting expert Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D. teaches viewers about the crucially important role that parents play in shaping the next generation. Personal anecdotes from individual parents round out this excellent and welcome resource for both public and school DVD libraries. Printable teaching materials are available online at www.learningzonexpress.com/worksheets as well. 38 min, closed-captioned.

The Science of Measurement
Hosted by Marcus du Sautoy
Athena Learning
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781598289961 $34.99 www.acornonline.com

Accessible to viewers of all backgrounds, The Science of Measurement: Taking the Measure of the World is a documentary about how human beings have attempted to quantify the world about them, from ancient history to the modern day. Host Marcus du Sautoy (Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, Oxford University) shows how seven fundamental units of measurement form the basic framework of key scientific concepts and affect every aspect of our daily lives. Bonus materials include a 12-page viewer's guide and a biography of Marcus du Sautoy. Fascinating and enlightening, The Science of Measurement will prompt the viewer to rethink his or her understanding of the wider world, and is highly recommended especially for public and school library DVD collections. 3 episodes / 177 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Into the Cold
A film by Sebastian Copeland
Shelter Island
c/o TDC Entertainment (publicity)
220 East 23rd Street, Suite 405
New York, NY 10010
9781934708958 $24.98 www.intothecold.org

Into the Coldis an extraordinary documentary following two men's expedition to the frigid North Pole. Viewers witness the intense survival training that environmental advocate, photographer, filmmaker, and polar traveler Sebastian Copeland endures to prepare for a two-month, 400+ mile journey on foot across the frozen ice cap. Aided by his partner Keith Heger, Copeland reveals the beauty of nature at its most inhospitable (temperatures were often below -50 F). Astonishing and profound, Into the Cold is highly recommended for personal, school, and public library DVD collections. 87 min., widescreen.

Wings of a Warrior
A Gardner Doolittle film
Shelter Island
c/o Damore Public Relations
9781939517081 $14.98 www.shelterisland.net

Wings of a Warrior: The Jimmy Doolittle Story is a DVD biography of James Harold Doolittle (1896-1993), one of the most decorated aviators in U.S. military history. Covering Doolittle's entire life from his childhood in Alaska, to service in the Signal Reserve Corps Aviation Section, to his record-breaking coast-to-coast flight in 1922, to his development of "instrument-only" flying and his role in the Invasion of Normandy and the raid on Tokyo, Wings of a Warrior is an incredible portrait of an intelligent, inventive, gifted man who was deadly serious about his duty. A ten-minute bonus interview with filmmaker/host Gardner Doolittle rounds out this extraordinary portrait of a larger-than-life pilot. Highly recommended. 84 min. plus extras.

Psychology and the New Heroism
Philip Zimbardo and Daniel Ellsberg
Moderated by Bill Roller
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772837 $195.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Psychology and the New Heroism is a documentary DVD of a deep, philosophical and psychological discussion between Philip Zimbardo (Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Stanford University) and Daniel Ellsberg. Zimbardo is best known as the creator of the notorious "Stanford Prison Experiment" that reveled just how easily the roles of authoritarian and subject can enable abusive behavior; Ellsberg served in the Pentagon under Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and risked imprisonment (or worse) to publicly reveal the Pentagon Papers, which documented the lies that perpetuated the Vietnam war long after any hope of victory was lost. Both men examine the fundamental questions: why are some people willing to risk their freedom or their lives to speak out, become whistleblowers, or defend ethical principles? The new heroism includes daring to tell the truth and bring the public crucial information, despite great personal danger. Psychology and the New Heroism challenges viewers to listen to their conscience above all, for the sake of their fellow citizens. 87 min., SDH captions.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Law And War
Austin Sarat, Lawrence Douglas, Martha Merrill Umphrey, eds.
Stanford Law Books
c/o Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
www.sup.org
9780804787420, $75.00, www.amazon.com

Compiled and co-edited with an introduction by the team of Austin Sarat (Associate Dean of the faculty and the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence & Political Science, Amherst College), Lawrence Douglas (James J. Grosfeld Professor Law, Jurisprudence & Social Thought, Amherst College), and Martha Merrill Umphrey (Professor of Law, Jurisprudence & Social Thought, Amherst College), "Law And War" is a 248 page compendium comprised of five outstanding academic contributions focusing on the cultural, historical, spatial, and theoretical dimensions of the relationship between law and war. These informed and informative essays include Sarah Sewall's 'Limits of Law: Promoting Humanity in Armed Conflict'; Gabriella Blums' 'The Individualization of War: From War to Policing in the Regulation of Armed Conflicts'; Laura K. Donohue's 'Pandemic Disease, Biological Weapons, and War'; Samuel Moyn's 'From Antiwar Politics to Antitorture Politics'; and 'Larry May's War Crimes Trials During and After War'. Enhanced with the inclusion of a comprehensive index, "Law And War" is a collective work of outstanding scholarship and a highly recommended addition to academic library Judicial Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "Law And War" is also available in a Kindle edition ($60.00).


The Music Shelf

Flute Lore, Flute Tales
Couchgrass Books
PO Box 3481, Duluth, MN 55812
9780991091119, $18.00

Filled with fascinating historical anecdotes, true origin sources of ancient flutes, and additional myths, legends, and fairytales about flutes, "Flute Lore, Flute Tales: Artifacts, History, and Stories About the Flute" is a succinct, intriguing summary of the history and significance of the flute as it has evolved since prehistoric times. Combining actual artifact discovery with relevant snippets of world wide cultural history patterns, "Flute Lore, Flute Tales" describes the origin and development of four different flute types: the vertical flute, the transverse flute, the panpipes, and the whistle or ocarina. Many different types and styles of flutes are presented in 66 color photo-illustrations, and the final chapters are dedicated to famous 20th century performers, women flutists, jazz flutists, and traditional flute performers of different ethnicities who are bringing old styles of flute performance to new audiences. In addition, there is a helpful glossary, sites for further reading, sources, and recommended web sites. "Flute Lore, Flute Tales" is a delightful source of historical information about flutes and flute performance in world cultural settings, from prehistoric times to the present day. "Flute Lore, Flute Tales" is suitable for both young adult readers and curious adult audiences.

An Organ A Day
Bynum Petty
Pendragon Press
PO Box 190, Hillsdale, NY 12529
www.pendragonpress.com
9781576472439, $54.00, www.amazon.com

Mathias Peter Moller (29 September 1854, Ostermarie, Denmark - 13 April 1937, Hagerstown, Maryland, US) was a prolific organ builder.[1] A native of the Danish island of Bornholm, he founded the M.P. Moller Pipe Organ Company in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, in 1875. The city of Hagerstown, Maryland, took notice of M”ller's early successes and induced him to move his business to Hagerstown to help make it a viable business center in Western Maryland. The company remained in business until 1992 with a lifetime production of over 11,000 instruments. The ninth and latest volume in the outstanding Pendragon Press 'The Complete Organ Series', "An Organ A Day: The Enterprising Spirit of M.P. Moller" by Bynum Petty (Archivist of the American Organ Archives of the Organ Historical Society) is a 230 page compendium that provides a documented history and descriptive legacy of this master organ builder's career and achievements. Enhanced with the inclusion of an impressive number of appendices, a bibliography, an index, and an accompanying CD (Moller Opus List by Number; Moller Opus List by Region), "An Organ A Day:The Enterprising Spirit of M.P. Moller" is an informed, informative, and seminal work of impressive scholarship making it a unique and strongly recommended contribution to academic library Musicology and Music History reference collections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Alzheimer's Early Stages, third edition
Daniel Kuhn, MSW
Hunter House Publishers
PO Box 2914
Alameda, CA 94501-2914
9780897936675 $17.95 www.hunterhouse.com

Now in a thoroughly updated third edition, Alzheimer's Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends and Caregivers is an accessible guide written to aid readers of all backgrounds - especially those who have an elder friend or a loved one susceptible to the degenerative brain disease known as Alzheimer's. Chapters explain in plain terms the early symptoms of Alzheimer's and how to recognize them, responses that should be swiftly made, practical advice for ensuring safety, health, and well-being, ways to keep a person with Alzheimer's active, caring for oneself as well for a person in need of assistance, and much more. "As a rule, relocation should happen sooner rather than later in the disease. People with AD are much more likely to make a positive adjustment to a new environment in the early stage of the disease than they are in later stages. Nevertheless, even for people in the early stage, a temporary worsening in memory, mood, and behavior is likely to occur when they move. Keeping up the daily routine of the person with AD and retaining favorite home furnishings and keepsakes may help to ease the transition." Alzheimer's Early Stages is especially recommended for public library collections, because it delivers need-to-know information for the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of the aging baby boom generation.


The Civil War Shelf

The Battle of Peach Tree Creek
Robert D. Jenkins, Sr.
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue
Macon, GA 31207-0001
9780881463965 $35.00 www.mupress.org

The Battle of Peach Tree Creek: Hood's First Sortie, 20 July 1864 is an exhaustive analysis of the point in the American Civil War when the tide of battle shifted strongly against the South. General John Bell Hood of the Confederacy moved away from the defensive tactics of his predecessor (General Joseph E. Johnston); Hood's bold and desperate offense could not repel the Union troops closing in on Atlanta. Peach Tree Creek and its successive battles effectively spelled out the death knell of the Confederacy. Extensively researched and meticulously presented, The Battle of Peach Tree Creek is an excellent and welcome contribution to public and college library Civil War shelves.


The Philosophy Shelf

Reading Richard Dawkins
Gary Keogh
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781451472042, $49.00, www.amazon.com

Clinton Richard Dawkins (born 26 March 1941) is an English ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and popular author. He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was the University of Oxford's Professor for Public Understanding of Science from 1995 until 2008. Dawkins first came to prominence with his 1976 book "The Selfish Gene", which popularized the gene-centered view of evolution and introduced the term meme. In 1982, he introduced into evolutionary biology the influential concept that the phenotypic effects of a gene are not necessarily limited to an organism's body, but can stretch far into the environment, including the bodies of other organisms; this concept is presented in his book "The Extended Phenotype". Dawkins is an atheist, a vice president of the British Humanist Association. He is well known for his criticism of creationism and intelligent design. In his 1986 book "The Blind Watchmaker", he argues against the watchmaker analogy, an argument for the existence of a supernatural creator based upon the complexity of living organisms. Instead, he describes evolutionary processes as analogous to a blind watchmaker. He has since written several popular science books, and makes regular television and radio appearances, predominantly discussing these topics. In his 2006 book "The God Delusion", Dawkins contends that a supernatural creator almost certainly does not exist and that religious faith is a delusion - "a fixed false belief". "Reading Richard Dawkins: A Theological Dialogue with New Atheism" by Gary Keogh (Adjunct Lecturer, All Hallows College, Dublin City University) is a 272 page compendium comprised of five erudite and perceptive essays in refutation of Dawkins' atheist assertions. The essays include: A Distinct Methodological Framework; Encountering Evolution: Dawkins' Perspectives; Beyond Biology: An Evolutionary Weltanschauung; Religion: An Evolutionary View; Evil, Evolution, and God: Dawkins and Theology in Dialogue. Articulate examples of incisive scholarship, "Reading Richard Dawkins: A Theological Dialogue with New Atheism" is very highly recommended reading and a critically important addition to seminary and academic library Religion & Philosophy collections. It should be noted that "Reading Richard Dawkins: A Theological Dialogue with New Atheism" is also available in a Kindle edition ($30.39).

Paul and the Philosophers
Ward Blanton & Hent De Vries, editors
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L
Bronx, NY 10458-5172
www.fordhampress.com
9780823249657, $40.00, www.amazon.com

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational argument. In more casual speech, by extension, "philosophy" can refer to "the most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group". The word "philosophy" comes from the Ancient Greek and literally translates into English as the "love of wisdom". The introduction of the terms "philosopher" and "philosophy" has been ascribed to the Greek thinker Pythagoras. Paul the Apostle (c. 5 - c. 67), taught the gospel of Christ to the first-century world. He is generally considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age. In the mid-30s to the mid-50s, he founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe. Paul used his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to advantage in his ministry to both Jewish and Roman audiences. The writings of Paul in the New Testament have impacted western philosophers for the past two millennia. Compiled by the editorial team of Ward Blanton (Reader in Biblical Cultures and European Thought, Department of Religious Studies, University of Kent, England) and Hent De Vries (Professor of Philosophy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland) "Paul and the Philosophers" is a 608 page compendium comprised of twenty-five erudite and scholarly essays organized into six major sections: Reconstructing the Ancient Paul 'Between Athens and Jerusalem'; Sovereignty and the Aporias of Universalism; Paul, Materialism, and the Contingencies of Emancipation; Communal Spaces between Times; Ethics and the Foundations of Law. Informative, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Paul and the Philosophers" is a strongly recommended addition to academic library History of Philosophy reference collections and supplemental Christian Studies reading lists.


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Midwest Book Review
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