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California Bookwatch

Volume 6, Number 2 February 2011 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Automotive Shelf Computer Shelf
Art Shelf Fashion Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Business Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Journalism Shelf Political Science Shelf
Sports Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Travel Shelf Audiobook Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Homeowner's Shelf Gardening Shelf Architecture Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Science/Technology Shelf
Humor Shelf Music Shelf World History Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Literary Shelf Biography Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Military Shelf
Education Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Crafts Shelf
Photography Shelf Parenting Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fiction Shelf Native American Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Nautical Shelf California Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Japanese Swords
Colin M. Roach
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9784805310359, $39.95, www.tuttlepublishing.com

JAPANESE SWORDS: CULTURAL ICONS OF A NATION packs together a fine history and study of the Japanese sword, which represented a transition point between the reigning military class and those they ruled. A DVD video featuring a documentary on sword-making accompanies rich illustrations in an oversized presentation packed with color and depth. From history to martial arts, this provides an in-depth survey of swordsmiths, sword developments, and ancient weaponry in a reference recommended especially for any serious Japanese history collection.

Living Jewels: Masterpieces from Nature
Ruth Peltason
Vendome Press
1334 York Avenue, New York NY 10021
9780865652675, $50.00, www.vendomepress.com

Living Jewels: Masterpieces from Nature is a powerful recommendation for art and science collections alike, revealing how art has been inspired by nature. From art deco coral brooches and tortoiseshell combs to pearl necklaces and coral inspirations, this draws connections between art and nature around the world, packing in lovely color photos of works from modern designers. Highly recommended as a lovely survey for any arts or nature collection!

Deep Tissue Massage
Anne Johnson
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736084703, $29.00, www.humankinetics.com

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE OF OVER 80 TECHNIQUES offers therapists a fine hands-on color illustrated guide to deep tissue work and makes for a perfect supplement to any massage course. From working safely with such massage techniques to the specifics of using forearms on calves and other areas, this is packed with many specific, key details perfect for massage therapists looking at the next level of technique.

Facebook and Philosophy
D.E. Wittkower, Editor
Open Court
70 East Lake St., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696752, $19.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Facebook and Philosophy: What's On Your Mind provides a powerful philosophical examination of the phenomenon of Facebook and how it changes human relationships and social values. Nearly thirty contemporary thinkers familiar with Facebook's culture consider its impact and cultural milieu, from issues of privacy and the quality and perception of 'friends' to gossip, perception and the evolution of Facebook. Computer and philosophy collections alike will appreciate these lively dialogues.

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader: History's Lists
Bathroom Readers' Institute
Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
1607101807, $18.95, www.bathroomreader.com

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader: History's Lists is the perfect trivia history choice for any collection appealing to a general audience. It blend humor with reference information to create short, appealing lists packed with unusual tidbits of detail. From a history of what soldiers wore to battle to playwrights who met with unusual deaths, this is a unique trivia gathering perfect for reluctant readers, trivia fans, and those who prefer light but informative reading.

High Octane Women
Dr. Sherrie Bourg Carter
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142209, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

High Octane Women: How Superachievers Can Avoid Burnout comes from a psychologist who uses her over fifteen-years experience in stress management to explore the drive toward perfectionism and demands in the lives of high-achieving women. More than just an examination of facts, this also offers strategies for avoiding burnout, making this a powerful pick for business and women's issues collections alike.

Introductory Concepts in Information Science, second edition
Melanie J. Norton
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9781573873949, $49.50, www.infotoday.com

The second updated edition of Introductory Concepts in Information Science offers college-level information science collections a fine introduction considering the growth and evolution of the information age and its impact on society as a whole. Recent research on the field and scholarly and trade publication input contributes to an in-depth history of information science and communications in a fine survey. This updated edition's new topics include indexing and digital libraries.

The Tattooed Lady: A History
Amelia Klem Osterud
Speck Press
c/o Fulcrum Publishing
4690 Table Mountain Drive #100, Golden, CO 80403
9781933108261, $27.00, www.speckpress.com

The Tattooed Lady: A History provides the first book to gather the true stories behind women who largely appeared in sideshows and encouraged a cultural tattoo movement across America. Hundreds of historical photos blend with a social history exploring tattoo origins, women's labor history and circus lives, and how their interest in body art helped foster the roots of a movement. The black and white and color vintage illustrations, poster art, and photos make for a winner for all kinds of collections; from social history to general lending libraries.

Awakening Kindness
Nawang Khechog
Beyond Words/Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781582702520, $23.00, www.simonandschuster.com

AWAKENING KINDNESS: FINDING JOY THROUGH COMPASSION FOR OTHERS explains how human values are the foundation of happiness and allow for peaceful coexistence with the planet. This survey is based on Khechog's kindness workshops and his years as a monk studying Buddhist philosophy and meditation with the Dalai Lama, and pinpoints all the ways meditations and practices can blend into modern living. Inspirational and revealing!


The Automotive Shelf

How to Make Your Car Last Forever
Tom Torbjornsen
Motorbooks,
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 1st Avenue North Suite 300, Minneapolis MN 55401
9780760337967, $24.99, www.motorbooks.com

How to Make Your Car Last Forever tells how to make basic repair, avoid costly failures, and how to perform preventative maintenance to get the most from an aging vehicle. From adjusting haul loads during different months of the year to reduce vehicle stress to solving common fluid problems, this is packed with keys to long-term vehicle health, and applies to any make or model car. General-interest collections must have this!

Lost Hot Rods
Pat Ganahl
CarTech Books
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 53056
9781934709221, $29.95, www.cartechbooks.com

LOST HOT RODS: REMARKABLE STORIES OF HOW THEY WERE FOUND tells of hot rods built over the past fifty-plus years which have vanished. Some were wrecked, others merely forgotten - but collectors have located and restored many of these rods, and here enthusiast Pat Ganahl has collected their images and stories. An oversized format packed with many color photos documents the rods and customs from the 40s through the 60s in an outstanding survey perfect for any auto collector's library.


The Computer Shelf

Five-Star Apps
Glenn Fleishman
Peachpit Press
1249 - 8th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
9780321751430, $19.99, www.peachpit.com

FIVE-STAR APPS: THE BEST IPHONE AND IPAD APPS FOR WORK AND PLAY tells iPhone and iPad users how to choose the best apps out of the 250,000 something on the market for these devices. From following Twitter and using a PDF file to locating the best games and reading barcodes, this is packed with assessments and keys to getting the most from apps and selecting the most notable ones. It'll save time, money, and much frustration and is a top pick for any iPhone and iPad owner!

My Droid
Craig James Johnston
QUE
c/o Pearson Technology Group
800 East 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
0789747197, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

MY DROID blends step-by-step instructions with callout to Droid photos to offer any with a Droid smartphone specifics on how to get the most from a Droid model. From hidden shortcuts and unique features to playing music, capturing photos, browsing the Web, using the latest Droid apps, and more, this packs in keys for all Android Smartphone models and thus promises wide use!

The Android Developer's Cookbook
James Steele and Nelson To
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321741234, $39.99, www.informit.com/devlibrary

The Android Developer's Cookbook teaches programmers and developers how to build applications with the Android SDK, from implementing threads and organizing user interface layouts to using other devices via SMS, using GPS for location data, and more. Developers are given the code needed to implement common solutions - and all the keys needed to start any Android project. The code-packed 'recipes' are the key to an amazingly detailed survey!

GPU Pro
Wolfgang Engel, Editor
A.K. Peters Ltd
5 Commonwealth Rd, Suite 2C, Natick, MA 01760
9781568814728, $79.00, www.akpeters.com

GPU PRO: ADVANCED RENDERING TECHNIQUES offers an addition to a new series covering the tools needed for programming in a graphics processing course. Advanced rendering, engine design, GPGPU techniques and more receive technical insights with emphasis on handheld programming, with over 60 contributors representing experts from around the world. Advanced computer graphics collections will consider this a fine pick.

Web GIS: Principles and Applications
Pinde Fu & Jiulin Sun
ESRI Press
380 New York St., Redlands, CA 92373-8100
9781589482456, $55.95, www.esri.com

From basics to advanced features, WEB GIS reviews the origins and applications of web-based GIS systems, from GeoDesign and mobile GIS to mashups, geoportals, and more. The basics involved in expanding the Web to incorporate and modernize GIS technology makes for a powerful survey by a senior GIS application developer who has lead numerous GIS application projects in many industries. Any collection strong in GIS systems must have this!

IT Essentials
Cisco Networking Academy
Cisco Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
800 E. 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
158713263X, $50.00, www.ciscopress.com

IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Companion Guide supports the Cisco Networking Academy IT Essentials version 4.1 course and is a top pick for any taking the course as an introduction to computer systems. From diagnostic tools and wireless devices to security, this in-depth coverage for the CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum course helps students prepare for certification, with chapter objectives, key terms, and self-testing sections making this a 'must have' study guide.

Effortless E-Commerce with PHP and MySQL
Larry Ullman
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
1249 - 8th St., Berkeley CA 94710
0321656229, $34.99, www.newriders.com

Effortless E-Commerce with PHP and MySQL provides a comprehensive guide to creating an e-commerce Web site using PHP and MySQL, and blends business concepts and customer needs with computer savvy for maximum effort. From blending different payment gateways to creating a safe server environment and incorporating routines that maximize customer sales, this will appeal to business and computer collections alike!

Land of Lisp
Conrad Barski, MD
No Starch Press
38 Ringold St., San Francisco CA 94103
9781593272814, $49.95, www.nostarch.com

LAND OF LISP is for any computer collection strong in games programming, and covers the basics of the Lisp programming language. From understanding Lisp's quirks and using macros to creating your own web server and writing games, this is a pick for any programmer who wants to make the most of the Lisp gaming language.

Microsoft PowerPivot for Excel 2010
Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari
Microsoft Press
One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399
9780735640580, $34.99, www.microsoft.com/mspress

A DVD of workbook examples and an Access version of the book's sample database accompanies a fine survey of data analysis skills in Microsoft PowerPivot for Excel 2010: Give Your Data Meaning. Any Excel collection catering to advanced users should have this: it teaches how to apply Excel's formulas to the Power Pivot language DAX, how to manipulate, sort and understand calculations and data results, and how to perform sophisticated functions such as using PivotTables and charts. Excel users in business settings will find this a 'must'.

Embedded Linux Primer, second edition
Christopher Hallinan
Prentice Hall
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0137017839, $49.99, www.informit.com/ph

The second updated edition of Embedded Linux Primer: A Practical Real-World Approach provides the latest keys to developing embedded solutions using Linux. Newcomers to embedded programming concepts as well as those seeking reinforcement of systems and Linux operations will find this teaches all the basics, includes expanded, updated coverage on kernel debugging, and introduces the latest open source embedded Linux systems. Reference appendixes and configuration tips contribute to a real winner!

Taking your iPod Touch to the Max, second edition
Michael Grothaus and Erica Sadun
Apress, Inc.
233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013
9781430232582, $24.99, www.apress.com

Learn how to take the iPod touch to new levels using this fine updated second edition of a classic guide to iPod touch operations. From basics to the iPod's hidden abilities to record and edit video, download and read eBooks, and more, this covers all the basics and beyond and is for any who has an iPod touch and wants to tinker with it beyond the basics.

Data Analysis with Open Source Tools
Philipp K. Janert
O'Reilly
12005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596802356, $39.99, www.oreilly.com

Data Analysis with Open Source Tools provides a powerful pick for programmers and data users, covering all the basics of turning raw information into useful analytics. From using graphics to describe data with different variables to mining data using clustering or using predictive analytics to handle data analysis applications, chapters pack in problems, solutions, and code as well as charts and examples from real-world applications. A fine pick for any serious programming collection!


The Art Shelf

Star Wars Art: Visions
Foreword by George Lucas, Intro by J.W. Rinzler
Abrams
115 West 18th Street, 6th floor, New York, NY 10011
9780810995895, $40.00, www.abramsbooks.com

STAR WARS ART: VISIONS gathers fine artworks from over a hundred well-known artists who use the Star Wars galaxy and science fiction themes for their inspiration. Gathered under one cover for the first time, this compilation features a wide range of artistic styles and skills and profiles some of the biggest names in science fiction art, from H.R. Giger and Moebius to Alex Ross and Boris Vallejo, Jamie Wyeth and Julie Bell. Both arts and science fiction holdings will consider this a winner!

On Vision and Colors and Color Sphere
Arthur Schopenhauer and Philipp Otto Runge
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
9781568987910, $24.95, www.papress.com

On Vision and Colors and Color Sphere is translated and with an introduction by Georg Stahl and makes for a fine pick for any college-level art collection interested in a blend of art analysis and philosophy. Two visionary color theories come together under one cover in this scholarly survey written by two of the best theoretical philosophers on color since da Vinci.

Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Archive Series: Design
Disney Editions
c/o Disney Book Group
114 Fifth Avenue, 14th floor, New York, NY 10011
9781423134206, $50.00, www.disneybooks.com

Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Archive Series: Design provides a fine survey of the creative process of Disney artists as they sketch and produce works from computers, watercolors, and drawings. This book on design is the third in Disney's Archive Series and showcases the works of these artists in an oversized presentation packed with color and works of art. Many have never seen print before, and offer keys to the foundation ideas for many of Disney's most famous animated films. Any library strong in animation history must have this!

Pastel Pointers
Richard McKinley
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
144030839X, $26.99, www.artistsnetwork.com

PASTEL POINTERS: TOP SECRETS FOR BEAUTIFUL PASTEL PAINTINGS gathers the best of Richard McKinley's popular Pastel Pointers blog and Pastel Journal columns. From how to produce superior pastels to solutions to common problems and how an artist can understand the business of producing, framing, and shipping pastels and preparing for gallery shows, this offers all levels of artists keys to getting the most from pastels, and comes from a professional artist who has over thirty-five years in the field. A 27-minute bonus DVD rounds out this exceptional guide.

One Hundred Portraits
Barry Moser, engraver
David R. Godine
Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452
9781567923667, $35.00, www.godine.com

ONE HUNDRED PORTRAITS documents engravings by Barry Moser, one of the most prolific book engraving artists of the last decades. His watercolors, woodcuts and engravings have illustrated more than two hundred books, and offers a selection of engravings - many created just for this book. Moser chose artists and friends who were important to him: this is the first book to gather all of his portraits of notable figures in the arts and is key to any serious arts or literary collection.

Greening Modernism
Carl Stein
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393732832, $60.00, www.wwnorton.com

GREENING MODERNISM: PRESERVATION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE MODERN MOVEMENT comes from an author nationally renowned for his contributions to sustainable design. Here he identifies and argues for sustainability factors inherent in Modern design, identify ideas key to modern ecological thinking and teaching the basics of engineering, planning and building-upgrade projects. From relationships between design and technology to the history of sustainability over the course of architectural history, this is a pick for any college-level architecture collection.


The Fashion Shelf

High Style
Jan Glier Reeder
Yale University Press
P.O. Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040
9780300155228, $50.00, www.yalebooks.com

HIGH STYLE: MASTERWORKS FROM THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM COSTUME COLLECTION AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART offers the first comprehensive publication on the Museum's fashion holdings, packing in over 200 examples from its nearly 24,000 women's and men's garments. Brooklyn's collection was founded in 1903 to provide inspiration to the fashion industry: HIGH STYLE covers all its holdings and offers histories of how they were collected in a fine pick for any serious fashion library.


The Cookbook Shelf

Kinky Cupcakes
Joanna Farrow
Spruce
c/o Octopus Publishing Group
publicity@octopus-publishing.co.uk
9781846013645, $12.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

KINKY CUPCAKES offers a fun, different idea with dressy and provocative cupcakes packed with sexy, naughty flair suitable for any bachelorette party, birthday, or fun dinner. Basic cupcake recipes are enriched with easy flair and unique icings and decorations in this fun, different pick for any baker's library. The color photos throughout are fun, eye-catching embellishments.

The World Atlas of Whiskey
Dave Broom
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845335779, $34.99, www.hachette.com

Any with more than a casual interest in whiskey must have this extensive coverage, The World Atlas of Whiskey. It packs in history and comes from a world-celebrated whiskey authority and journalist who examines whiskey's global production and distribution. Gorgeous color illustrations back a survey filled with regional maps, tasting notes, 150 label reproductions, 200 color photos, and more.

The Simple Art of EatingWell Cookbook
Jessie Price & EatingWell Test Kitchen
Countryman Press
Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091
9780881509359, $35.00, www.countrymanpress.com

The Simple Art of EatingWell Cookbook uses some 20 years of experience of the EatingWell test kitchen to collection a winning title on healthy food. Its focus on good eating offers recipes accompanied by breakdowns of calories, cholesterol and carbs, gives tips on how to stock a pantry and key kitchen gadgets, provides step-by-step how-to prep photos, and more. Any cook concerned about healthy cuisine needs this clear, easy guide.

Adventures in Eating
Helen R. Haines & Clare A. Sammells
University Press of Colorado
5589 Arapahoe Avenue Suite 206C, Boulder CO 80303
9781607320142, $29.95, www.upcolorado.com

Adventures in Eating: Anthropological Experiences in Dining from Around the World is a pick for any college-level collection strong in culinary history and anthropology. It is the first anthropology-oriented title intended to prepare students for dining situations they may cover in the course of world travels, and covers dishes key to sharing food under research conditions.

Northwest Essentials, new edition
Greg Atkinson
Sasquatch Books
119 South Main St. #400, Seattle, WA 98104
9781570616693, $24.95, www.sasquatchbooks.com

NORTHWEST ESSENTIALS: COOKING WITH INGREDIENTS THAT DEFINE A REGION'S CUISINE is based on regional ingredients readily available in the Pacific Northwest, so users should have this in mind. Originally published ten years ago, this cookbook quickly became a classic and has been reissued in a new edition packed with over fifty photos of the foods of the region and presenting dishes ranging from honey-poached pears and fresh mint ice cream to Oyster Loaf. A 'must' for any Pacific Northwest collection!

Simply Ming One-Pot Meals
Ming Tsai & Arthur Boehm
Kyle Books
victoria.scales@kyle-cathie.com
9781906868369, $29.95, www.kylebooks.com

Simply Ming One-Pot Meals: Quick, Healthy & Affordable Recipes takes an unusual approach to the one-pot dish in providing some 80 recipes using the seven techniques of one-pot cooking: braising, wokking, roasting, flash-frying and more. Busy cooks will find much to like here, for these are quick approaches to the usually-time-consuming Asian dish and offer meals that can be made with a minimum of cleanup.

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2011
America's Test Kitchen
9781933615714, $39.95, www.americastestkitchen.com

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2011 packs in every recipe from the TV show including product ratings and behind-the-scenes considerations. Recipes include invaluable paragraphs discussing 'why this recipe works' and many include small color photos of finished results. With a strong focus on real home cooking and why it works, this is a pick any novice or culinary collection needs.

India Cookbook
Pushpesh Pant
Phaidon
180 Varick St., 14th Floor, New York NY 10014
9780714859026, $49.95, www.phaidon.com

INDIA COOKBOOK packs in over 1,000 recipes and 200 color photos - but this fact alone doesn't make it a 'must' for any general cookery collection. What makes it exception are dishes not to be found in every Indian cookbook: from Tabak Maaz (Deep-Fried Spare Ribs) to Smoked Lamb Cooked with Yoghurt and Lentil Bread. A 'must' even for cooks who already have general Indian cookbooks but want something that packs in new and rarely-seen dishes with more common, traditional choices.

Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook
Kim Barnouin
Running Press
2300 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19103
9780762439379, $29.95, www.runningpress.com

Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook packs in keys to eating well and creating meals both quick and healthy. Here dishes focus on seasonal produce, ethnic influences from around the world, and tips to judging calories and health food content. From insights on processed foods and health to choosing the right pantry staples and getting the most from spices, this offers recipes from Tangy Spinach and Strawberry Salad to Coconut-Saffron Rice and Vegetable Fondue. General cooking collections need this winner!

Morocco
Ghisaline Benady & Najat Sefrioui
Whitecap Books
351 Lynne Avenue, North Vancouver, BC V7J 2C4, Canada
9781552859681, $19.95, www.whitecap.ca

MOROCCO: RECIPES AND STORIES FROM EAST AFRICA pairs lovely color photos by Michael Reuss with delicious recipes and step-by-step instructions for such dishes as cumin and cilantro Spiced Sardines and Quail with Raisins to Sweet Potato and Raisin Salad. Any culinary collection catering to ethnic cooks in general and building Middle East collections in particular needs this!

Mary Engelbreit's Fan Fare Cookbook
Mary Engelbreit
Andrews McMeel
1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9780740779671, $16.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Fans of the slow cooker will find this a solid collection of over a hundred recipes gathered by Mary Engelbreit from family, friends and fans who all are slow cooker fans. From chilis and stews to meat dishes and even desserts, this is packed with tested dishes that have all earned their place here for their foolproof easy instructions. Cooks will find this an easy pick and practical too, with its hardcover lay-flat binding making it easy to locate, shelve, and use on a counter.

Cooking Down East, new edition
Marjorie Standish
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
9780892729135, $27.95, www.downeast.com

COOKING DOWN EAST: FAVORITE MAINE RECIPES provides a fine new edition of a Maine classic best-seller which has sold over 100,000 copies since its 1969 original publication. This appears in a new hardcover packing in over 350 recipes based on New England cooking, with over 15 new recipes added and an emphasis on seasonal ingredients making this a fine regional classic. From Shredded Wheat Bread to Maine Egg Casserole, these are easy dishes that need no color photos for enlightenment!

Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2011
Cooking Light Magazine
Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095, Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
9780848733414, $34.95, www.oxmoorhouse.com

Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2011 packs in over 700 new recipes into a fine year's worth of classics and top winners from Cooking Light Magazine. Color and black and white illustrations appear in a survey ranging from how to feed for on, $10. to 10 things to do with rotisserie chicken and producing quick and easy make-ahead meals. Any general library will consider this a top pick!

As Always, Julia
Joan Reardon
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10003
9780547417714, $26.00, www.hmhbooks.com

AS ALWAYS, JULIA: THE LETTERS OF JULIA CHILD AND AVIS DEVOTO offers a fine survey of food and friendship and appears in print for the first time to present a lively correspondence from 1952 to 1961, the period in Julia's life when she was working on her masterpiece MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING. The two women's friendship and pen pal correspondence offers fascinating insights into Julia's personality and culinary concerns, blending personal matters with fine culinary insights. No serious cookbook collection should be without this!


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Life Without Limits
Nick Vujicic
Doubleday Religion
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780307589736, $19.99, www.doubledayreligion.com

LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS: INSPIRATION FOR A RIDICULOUSLY GOOD LIFE comes from an author born without arms or legs - who overcame his disability to live an independent, rich life. Traveling the world, surfing, experiencing life, and advocating finding and filling life's purpose, this provides a rich set of spiritual and social insights sharing how his faith in God has become a central source of strength and inspiration. Both spirituality and general-interest collections will find this packed with inspiration and positive excitement.

Making Health Care Whole
Christina M. Puchalski, MD & Betty Ferrell, RN, PhD
Templeton Press
300 Conshohocken State Road #550, West Conshohocken, PA 19428
159947350X, $34.95, www.templetonpress.org

Making Health Care Whole: Integrating Spirituality into Patient Care speaks of the importance of spirituality in the health care system and provides tools to integrating spiritual concerns into the health profession. Health professionals will find this comes from a national conference discussing guidelines for clinical practices: chapters are scholarly but specific add address issues ranging from patient spiritual screening at the point of entry into the health care system to implementation models, with case histories profiling common concerns.

No Place for Abuse
Catherine Clark Kroeger & Nancy Nason-Clark
IVP Books
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 605151426
9780830838387, $17.00, www.books.ivpress.com

No Place for Abuse: Biblical & Practical Resources to Counteract Domestic Violence explains the biblical argument condemning violence and links these to circumstances of domestic violence worldwide, offering an updated edition that offers ten more years of listening to women's experiences around the world. The result is a fine survey offering guidelines for those wanting to respond to victim needs, and a powerful pick for any spirituality or social issues collection.

Darwin on Trial, 20th anniversary edition
Phillip E. Johnson
IVP Books
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 605151426
9780830838318, $17.00, www.books.ivpress.com

DARWIN ON TRIAL appears in its 20th anniversary edition to offer a fine survey adding fire to the evolution debate twenty years after its original publication. Phillip Johnson's critique of Darwinian evolution involved scientists and theologians in debate from its first appearance in 1991, sparking discussions in academic and popular journals and engaging leading evolutionists in discussions. This keystone of the intelligent design movement will earn a spot in any collection.

The Book of Hosea
J. Andrew Dearman
William B. Eerdmans Co
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802825391, $45.00, www.eerdmans.com

The Book of Hosea offers a fine translation of and history on the book of Hosea, offering a strong scholarly an analysis of the prophetic figure, his meaning to ancient Israel, and his prophecies. Hosea was one of the most important prophets of ancient Israel: this discussion of Hosea's use of metaphors and similes comes from a professor of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary's Houston campus, and provides an outstanding survey.

The Grand Array
Pattiann Rogers
Trinity University Press
One Trinity Place, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200
9781595340672, $24.95, www.tupress.org

THE GRAND ARRAY: WRITINGS ON NATURE, SCIENCE, AND SPIRIT provides an outstanding collection of essays plus three interviews surveying the authors' vision of the unity and interdependence of science, spirituality and the arts. Her observations of concepts of God and the importance of faith in a divided world - as well as divided sciences - makes for a fine survey linking persona life to wider concerns, and is recommended for any spirituality collection.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Common Prayer
Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Enuma Okoro
Zondervan
5300 Patterson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310326199, $24.99, www.zondervan.com

COMMON PRAYER: A LITURGY FOR ORDINARY RADICALS discusses how liturgy invites a new faith and a new perception of the Church and how it relates to the world. Liturgy and prayer books are often seen as outdated antiques: this provides a new view of an ancient practice and offers COMMON PRAYER, packed with easy sections for reflection for those who are both seasoned and newcomers to Christian belief.

The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional
Gary Chapman
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414329727, $24.99, www.tyndalehouse.com

The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional provides Christian readers with a powerful daily devotional offering affirmations and food for thought. Daily devotions here are linked to Scripture and offer important insights about communicating love, focusing on clear Biblical instructions on everything from expressing love to bring change to communicating about sex. A top gift pick for any Christian reader!


The Business Shelf

The Millionaire Next Door
Thomas J. Stanley &William D. Danko
Taylor Trade
4501 Forbes Blvd. #200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781589795471, $16.95, www.rlpgtrade.com

The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America' Wealthy offers a new preface and a strong survey perfect for general-interest holdings strong in personal finance titles. Wealth in America, this survey maintains, is more about hard work and savings than about inheritance or education. Chapters identify seven common traits to those who have accumulated wealth and show how the really wealthy in this country live their lives.

Virtual Presentations That Work
Joel Gendelman, Ed.D
McGraw-Hill
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
007173936X, $19.95, www.mhprofessional.com

Virtual Presentations That Work offers a powerful overview of the latest technology and winning tips for creating memorable webinars and video conferences, and is a top pick essential for any business collection. From learning how to use the technology to using it effectively to captivate and involve an audience, chapters cover active presentations that compel listeners and motivate them. Checklists, step-by-step directions, troubleshooting and case studies makes this a highly recommended 'must have' acquisition.

Crash of the Titans
Greg Farrell
Crown Business
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307717863, $27.00, www.crownpublishing.com

CRASH OF THE TITANS: GREED, HUBRIS, THE FALL OF MERRILL LYNCH, AND THE NEAR-COLLAPSE OF BANK OF AMERICA is based on insider resources at both Merrill Lynch and Bank of America and reveals the source of the sudden negative turn in the mortgage market - a highly successful salesman placed in charge of Merrill's fixed income unit. All the major players involved and the moves that led to its downfall are charted in a key study especially recommended for business collections analyzing the fall of Merrill and the mortgage lending market.

Now, Build a Great Business!
Mark Thompson & Brian Tracy
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814416977, $24.95, www.amacombooks.org

Now, Build a Great Business offers seven basic steps to building a visionary business: steps that apply to all kinds of businesses. From checklists and self-directed questions to developing a good business plan by thinking strategically and tactically, this is packed with keys to successful sales, marketing and business-building strategies and is a top pick for any entrepreneur's library.

Business Black Belt
Burke Franklin
Career Press
220 West Parkway Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601631435, $15.99, www.careerpress.com

BUSINESS BLACK BELT: DEVELOP THE STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, AND AGILITY TO RUN YOUR COMPANY provides a solid survey using tips from martial arts to translate to strengths for building and running a modern business. Real world situations are introduced in short chapters covering critical business topics, form marketing and employees to money management, lawyers and investors. An excellent pick!

Invisible Capital
Chris Rabb
Berrett-Koehler
235 Montgomery St., Suite 650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
9781605093079, $16.95, www.bkconnection.com

INVISIBLE CAPITAL: HOW UNSEEN FORCES SHAPE ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITY offers a fine analysis of a set of factors that can increase intangible assets for a business. From understanding the real value of this 'invisible capital' to the author's own experience as an entrepreneur and in politics, this offers keys to understanding the phenomenon of invisible capital and its impact on business success or failure. Business collections catering to entrepreneurs will find it compelling.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Wonders in the Sky
Jacques Vallee and Chris Aubeck
Jeremy P. Tarcher
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9781585428205, $22.95, www.tarcherbooks.com

WONDERS IN THE SKY: UNEXPLAINED AERIAL OBJECTS FROM ANTIQUITY TO MODERN TIMES offers a fine key to paranormal activities and UFO incidents and comes from respected researchers who examine over five hundred selected reports of sightings from antiquity through modern times. Case histories accompany over seventy illustrations and pack in a fine survey of odd, unexplained phenomena.

Transition Now
Martine Vallee, Editor
Weiser Books
65 Parker St., Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781578634743, $18.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

TRANSITION NOW: REDEFINING DUALITY 2012 AND BEYOND is packed with spiritual messages of hope and transition, and offers keys to recognizing the new energies in the world as economics and government change. Instructions on how to celebrate the change and make the most of it come from Lee Carroll, Pepper Lewis and others who offer new age spiritual perspectives on the changes to come.

Planetary Transformation
Imre Vallyon
Sounding-Light Publishing Ltd.
c/o Simon Warwick
18340 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, CA 95476
9780909038618, $15.95, www.soundinglight.com

PLANETARY TRANSFORMATION: A PERSONAL GUIDE TO EMBRACING PLANETARY CHANGE offers a new book with a focus on understanding the spiritual roots of the cosmic forces shaping the world. Imre Vallyon states that these forces ultimately seek to raise humanity to the next level of human evolution even as they promise destruction in the short-term. Chapters reveal the cosmic intent, then focus on what individuals can do to locate their own spiritual paths using meditation and other personal transformative processes. New age collections will find this a winner!

What Lurks Beyond
Jason Offutt
Truman State University Press
100 E. Normal Ave., Kirksville, MO 63501
9781935503033, $19.95, www.tsup.truman.edu

What Lurks Beyond: The Paranormal in Your Backyard studies the otherworldly phenomena that has occurred within 100 miles of his own home. From time travel and encounters with aliens to more, this blends new tales of the paranormal with new perspectives on old cases to show how strangeness exists all around us and not just in high-energy places. Readers fascinated by the paranormal will find this involving.


The Journalism Shelf

News to Me
Laurie Hertzel
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South #290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780816665587, $22.95, www.upress.umn.edu

NEWS TO ME: ADVENTURES OF AN ACCIDENTAL JOURNALIST comes from a journalist who began her first newspaper as a teen and follows her life experiences in journalism, from the mid-1970s when copy was still typed to modern times and the computer age. Her experiences in a primarily male occupation lends to a fine coverage describing both her personal climb in the media world and her coverage of big stories.

The Next Big Story
Soledad O'Brien with Rose Marie Arce
Celebra
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Ave, New York NY 10014
9780451231376, $24.95, www.penguin.com

THE NEXT BIG STORY: MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE LAND OF POSSIBILITIES comes from a top CNN anchor and special correspondent who explores how American opportunity and hope survive even in the face of tragedy. O'Brien reported on some of the biggest stories of our times, from Hurricane Katrina to the Haiti earthquake: her interviews with everyday Americans and her own rise in the world of reporting makes for a vivid account of changing times and American spirit.


The Political Science Shelf

Leadership and Crisis
Bobby Jindal
Regnery Publishing
One Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001
9781596981584, $27.95, www.regnery.com

LEADERSHIP AND CRISIS comes from the governor of Louisiana who here explores how the oil spill disaster in his state provided important lessons in leadership. Jindal fought bureaucracy and reveals how the federal government failed during the crisis: his explanation of the failings of the federal emergency response system documents federal government delays and how it made the disaster even worse. Including Hurricane Katrina in the analysis, this also reveals Jindal as a unique politician who can act quickly, using common sense solutions often ignored by the government. An intriguing review, this supports Jindal's own decisions and ethics.

We Still Hold These Truths
Matthew Spalding
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Rd, Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
9781935191926, $18.00, www.isibooks.org

We Still Hold These Truths: Rediscovering Our Principles, Reclaiming Our Future offers a key to fighting progressive actions in America, and to understanding what to fight against. It comes from The Heritage Foundation's director and tells how to identify common issues and how to translate discontent into effective action. Many collections will find this a winner.


The Sports Shelf

Lasting Yankee Stadium Memories
Alex Belth, Editor
Skyhorse Publishing
555 - 8th Avenue Suite 903, New York NY 10018
1603299794, $19.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

Lasting Yankee Stadium Memories: Unforgettable Tales From the House that Ruth Built comes from a writer who has compiled over forty hilarious and moving essays by writers and commentators about the experiences that have made Yankee Stadium famous. Columnists, sports writers, biographers, and more provide literary insights into Yankee Stadium experiences that provide a 'you are there' feel. Accompanied by a foreword by Yogi Berra, this is simply outstanding!

Outdoor Navigation with GPS, third edition
Stephen W. Hinch
Wilderness Press
2204 First Avenue South #102, Birmingham, AL 35233
9780899976501, $17.95, www.wildernesspress.com

Outdoor Navigation with GPS offers a fine basic reference for a range of sports and outdoors collections. Hikers, backpackers and more will find this key to getting the most out of a backcountry trip, explaining the basics of navigation, GPS skills, and how to select and use equipment. Over 100 diagrams and illustrations pack a third updated edition featuring details about the latest receivers from the top manufacturers.

Hemingway's Guns
Silvio Calabi, Steve Helsley & Roger Sanger
Shooting Sportsman
Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
9780892727209, $40.00, www.shootingspotsman.com

HEMINGWAY'S GUNS: THE SPORTING ARMS OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY offers a detailed focus on the sporting life and guns of Hemingway, from a Thompson submachine gun to a pistol and sporting rifle. Stories of how he acquired and used his many guns and what ultimately happened to them makes for a fine blend of excerpts from Hemingway's works and stories about his life and shooting history. Sports and Hemingway biography holdings alike will relish this unique perspective.

Lyn St. James: An Incredible Story
Lyn St. James
LSJ Press
Box 10357, Phoenix, AZ 85064
9780982884201, $19.95, www.lynstjames.com

Lyn St. James: An Incredible Story provides a fine autobiography of the female race car driver who has participated seven times in the Indy 500. After two decades of racing professionally around the world, Lyn St. James is a success - and provides insights into being female in a male-dominated sport. Any interested in Indy racing will relish her account!

Crashed and Byrned
Tommy Byrne with Mark Hughes
Totem Books
c/o Consortium, Distributors
34 - 13th Ave NE, Suite 101, Minneapolis, MN 55413-1007
9781906850180, $13.95, www.iconbooks.co.uk

CRASHED AND BYRNED: THE GREATEST RACING DRIVER YOU NEVER SAW offers the autobiography of a poverty-stricken kid who became the only racing driver Ayrton Senna ever feared - and how his career went downhill. Tommy Byrne's talents were shadowed by his poverty - and eventually led to his vanishing from the sport. His passionate story comes to life here!

Runners on Running
Rich Elliott, Editor
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736095705, $17.95, www.humankinetics.com

RUNNERS ON RUNNING: THE BEST NONFICTION OF DISTANCE RUNNING gathers fine stories by Kenny Moore, Hal Higdon and more, blending inspirational sagas with humorous and historical accounts. Some thirty stories from acclaimed writers on running offer pieces that capture the range of the runner's experience and challenges, and makes for a fine survey for any sports collection.

Boxing Is... Reflections on the Sweet Science
Thomas Hauser
University of Arkansas Press
McIlroy House, 201 Ozark Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
1557289425, $22.50, www.uapress.com

Boxing Is... Reflections on the Sweet Science comes from the author of over thirty books, many documenting boxing and fighting. His re-creation of key boxing fights and his pursuit of facts, truth, and history in the world of boxing makes for a fine record of the modern boxing world, and this gathers his most notable articles under one cover. If only one boxing guide is to be bought for a general sports collection, it should be this one!


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

DSLR Cinema
Kurt Lancaster
Focal Press
30 Corporate Drive #400, Burlington, Ma 01803
9780240815510, $39.95, www.focalpress.com

DSLR CINEMA: CRAFTING THE FILM LOOK WITH VIDEO packs in a valuable reference to DSLR camera abilities, offering case studies from an international cast of DSLR shooters and covering all the basic tools, techniques, and composition opportunities of DSLR. A companion website shows the films discussed in the book, making this a true master cinematography course for any serious about developing DSLR shooting skills.

The Art of Hammer
Marcus Hearn
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781848567375, $29.95, www.titanbooks.com

The British film production company Hammer supported each of their new film releases with eye-catching posters that often became stand-alone classics. This is the first collection of these posters, packing in nearly 300 examples from Hammer's own archive along with private collections around the world. An oversized presentation allows for full-page color reproductions of the poster art, while a chronological arrangement allows for a fine review of Hammer's changing films.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Towers of Midnight
Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
TOR Books
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780765325945, $29.99, www.tor-forge.com

TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT represents the thirteenth book in The Wheel of Time series and provides a powerful sequel to the best-selling THE GATHERING STORM, and is thus a special pick for any library seeing popularity and familiarity with the others in the series. Here the conclusion to the Wheel of Time series provides a vivid battle - and was partially written by author Robert Jordon before his untimely passing in 2007, finished by Brandon Sanderson, who was chosen by Jordan's wife to complete the series based on his notes and materials. This powerful conclusion is a vivid, compelling 'must have' for any Jordan collection.

The Horns of Ruin
Tim Akers
Pyr
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616142469, $16.00, www.pyrsf.com

The Horns of Ruin tells of the cult of Morgan, god of battle assassinated by his jealous brother. The Cult has been surpassed by other gods and Eva was the last child dedicated to the cult: now she may be its last hope as murders and kidnappings affect the last of the Cult's members, forcing Eva to seek answers. A fine account of dangers and allies emerges in a strong fantasy suitable for any general fantasy lending library.

Pathfinder
Orson Scott Card
Pulse
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781416991762, $18.99, www.teen.simonandschuster.com

While PATHFINDER is published under the teen imprint of Simon and Schuster, it actually is a pick for adults as well as teen readers, offering a powerful plot with strong characterization suitable to all audiences. Rigg has a strange talent for seeing the paths of people's pasts, and only his father has known the truth of his abilities. But when his father dies Rigg discovers he knew even more - and his identity and destiny suddenly becomes dangerous as he discovers his power to discern paths truths can lead to changing the future. An excellent and changing plot comes to life!

Back to the Moon
Travis S. Taylor & Les Johnson
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439134054, $25.00, www.baen.com

Back to the Moon offers the gripping story of a second mission to walk on the moon that turns into a rescue mission when China's secret lunar expedition goes bad. It's up to the Americans to figure out how to rescue four stranded Chinese astronauts - and how to do so virtually unprepared - in this powerfully gripping saga, perfect for science fiction collections.

Star Trek Myriad Universes: Shattered Light
David R. George III
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781439148419, $16.99, www.simonandschuster.com

Star Trek Myriad Universes: Shattered Light is written by Trek authors and set across history, touching upon every series and offering an alternate Star Trek universe where history is bent and changed. Stories here offer striking plots true to the Trek universe and make for fascinating reading recommended for any Trek fan!


The Travel Shelf

Trans-Canada Rail Guide, fifth edition
Melissa Graham
Trailblazer
The Old Manse, Tower Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 7SU, UK
9781905864331, $22.95, www.trailblazer-guides.com

Trans-Canada Rail Guide offers an updated fifth edition of a Canadian rail classic, packing in rail routes, maps and city guides for all stops east to west on the route. The route has been completely re-travelled and all information in the prior editions checked and updated, with extensive changes to this edition including new facts about the country, updated city guides, and new route guides adapted to match VIA Rail's new scheduling and timetables. No Canadian or trail travel collection should be without this!

A Moveable Feast
Don George, Editor
Lonely Planet
150 Linden St., Oakland, CA 94607
9781742202297, $14.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

A MOVEABLE FEAST; LIFE-CHANGING FOOD ADVENTURES AROUND THE WORLD packs in a blend of world culinary assessment and travelogue perfect for any culinary or travel library. Its authors provide food experiences from their world travels and range from Anthony Bourdain to Jan Morris. Jaw-dropping moments, pilgrimages, fun and horrifying tales, and more make this an exceptional literary presentation that will delight a wide audience!


The Audiobook Shelf

The Very Best of Bob & Ray: Legends of Comedy
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220, Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781615730995, $29.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

The Very Best of Bob & Ray: Legends of Comedy tells of a couple that began their comic routines on a low key and evolved a successful style and show that spanned some forty years. The highlights of their characters and spoofs come to life in The Very Best of Bob & Ray: Legends of Comedy: a survey packed with hilarious routines and fun shows perfect for any audio collection strong in comedy!

Dangerous
Diana Palmer
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1423382641, $34.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

DANGEROUS is performed by Phil Gigante whose experienced and quietly dramatic voice and award-winning audio manner enhances the story of headstrong FBI agent Kilraven, who lives by his own rules and resists romantic temptations. Winnie loves him - and finds herself involved in his latest case, a dangerous investigation, as a result. A dramatic, tense thriller evolves suitable for any audio lending library.

Life
Keith Richards & James Fox
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781600242403, $34.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

LIFE is an unabridged presentation on 20 CDs of Keith Richards' musical heritage, is written by Keith with James Fox, and receives here a powerful reading by Johnny Depp and Joe Hurley. Any who love rock music in general and the Rolling Stones in particular will find this an unusually well detailed survey of Keith Richards' life and his experiences with the band. No music collection should be without this hard-hitting audio version.

Crescent Dawn
Clive Cussler & Dirk Cussler
Penguin Audio
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9780142428733, $39.95, www.penguin.com

The latest Dirk Pitt adventure novel appears on 12 unabridged CDs and receives a fine reading by Scott Brick as it provides an extraordinary adventure that begins in A.D. 327, with a Roman galley that barely survives a pirate attack, and leads to a modern mystery where Dirk Pitt and his team are investigating the rise of a fundamentalist movement determined to restore the Ottomon Empire. A fast-paced novel of intrigue and adventure results!

Midnight Mile
Dennis Lehane
HarperAudio
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062010865, $34.99, www.harperaudio.com

MIDNIGHT MILE is an outstanding best-selling story revolving around private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, who return to investigate a missing teen once rescued by the duo when she was a child. Their search for Amanda leads them into a dangerous world of drugs and identity theft in an investigation packed with intrigue and tension - and perfect for audio format, with its exciting twists and turns of plot.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Neuro-Hypnosis
C. Alexander Simpkins & Annellen M. Simpkins
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393706253, $24.95, www.wwnorton.com

NEURO-HYPNOSIS: USING SELF-HYPNOSIS TO ACTIVATE THE BRAIN FOR CHANGE packs in a fine psychology and psychotherapy survey recommended for any collection strong in hypnosis and self-hypnosis. Over thirty years of teaching, researching and practice lends to a synthesis of the major theories and applications of hypnosis, reviewing its basic tools, benefits, and psychology. Professionals and lay readers alike will benefit from this extensive coverage.

The EKG Handbook
Theresa Ann Middleton Brosche
Jones & Bartlett
40 Tall Pine Dr., Sudbury, MA 01776
9780763769956, $40.95, www.jbpub.com

The EKG Handbook offers a fine, quick guide to EKG interpretation and comes with lay-flat spiral binding and a smaller format that lends to take-along toting. Nurses in clinical settings who want to understand EKGs will find this covers normal and abnormal results, illustrates EKG electrical activity and setup, includes calculations of heart rate and a six-step method for 12-lead, and is packed with charts and illustrations. A 'must' for any nursing collection!

Trigger Point Therapy for Foot, Ankle, Knee & Leg Pain
Valerie DeLaune, L.Ac.
New Harbinger Publications
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781572248427, $19.95, www.newharbinger.com

Trigger Point Therapy for Foot, Ankle, Knee & Leg Pain: A Self-Treatment Workbook is packed with trigger therapy keys for all kinds of pain, from plantar fasciitis and bunions to calf cramping and knee pain. The focus on self treatment offers individual sufferers the opportunity to apply trigger therapy at any time, making this a key to recovery and a pick for any self-help collection.

The Creative Arts in Dementia Care
Jill Hayes with Sarah Povey
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960
9781849050562, $29.95, www.jkp.com

The Creative Arts in Dementia Care provides an outstanding set of approaches and ideas to dementia care, and is a pick for any working with dementia patients. The idea is to encourage creative approaches to dementia, and this provides examples paired with case studies on how to achieve goals and adapt a creative approach that incorporates singing, movement, storytelling and more with either individuals or groups. Any caregiver's collection needs this!

Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders
Ronald DeVere, MD & Marjorie Calvert
Demos
11 W. 42nd St., 15th Floor, New York NY 10036
9781932603965, $19.95, www.demoshealth.com

Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders includes tips for food preparation, personal stories, recipes and more and offers a fine guide for any who suffer from chemosensory disorders. It represents a collaboration between an MD and a food preparation expert who offers keys to different kinds of food preparation to appeal to other senses, and it's a 'must' for any library strong in neurological self-help guides.


The Homeowner's Shelf

Self-Fab House
IAAC
Actar D
575 Prospect St, Suite 301, Lakewood NJ 08701
9788496954748, $34.95, www.actar-d.com

SELF-FAB HOUSE appears in a small paperback size but is packed with color images on every page representing the results of the second Advanced Architecture Contest organized by the IAAC in Catalonia. Over 100 projects for new ideas for making houses more 'green' are packed into a fine guide organized into six categories, from Digitally Fabricated structures to Auto & Bio Generated. Highly recommended for any home and architecture collection!


The Gardening Shelf

Building with Straw Bales, revised edition
Barbara Jones
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
PO Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001-0428
9781900322515, $24.95, www.chelseagreen.com

Building with Straw Bales: A Practical Guide for the UK and Ireland appears in a revised, updated edition and actually is a key pick for any straw bale construction collection no matter where in the world it's located. There have been many changes to straw-bale building technology and this edition includes new construction drawings, new standards, examples of affordable housing designs, and more. From bale specifications to building regulations, most of the data can be translated and applied to any project.


The Architecture Shelf

Narrow Houses
Avi Friedman
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
9781568988733, $45.00, www.papress.com

Narrow Houses: New Directions in Efficient Design offers a fine survey of 'skinny houses' which are on the rise in cities around the world. The idea of building small and narrow isn't a new one: narrow structures make better use of land and use less building materials - and they even offer more flexible layouts. This reviews the basics of designing a narrow-front home and is a fine key for any architectural or home design collection.


The Interior Design Shelf

Let's Decorate
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
9781580115087, $19.95, www.creativehomeowner.com

LET'S DECORATE: HOW TO ADD EASY, AFFORDABLE STYLE TO YOUR HOME reviews all the basics of decorating, pairing thirty selected rooms with signature looks to step-by-step instructions on how to create such a room. From wallpapering to tiling to shades, this focuses on stylish budget makeovers affordable for all!


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Advances in the Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament
Peter Muir
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9780813818528, $124.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Veterinary reference collections and libraries catering to vet students specializing in veterinary surgery need Advances in the Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament. It offers the first book in a vet series specializing in vet surgery advancements and presents the latest summary of current knowledge on cruciate rupture, a common orthopedic condition in canines. The latest details are included in a coverage with chapters written by leading experts, with black and white and color photos enhancing technical chapters packed with reference details.

Beastly Natures
Dorothee Brantz
University of Virginia Press
PO Box 400318, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4318
9780813929477, $39.50, www.upress.virginia.edu

BEASTLY NATURES: ANIMALS, HUMANS, AND THE STUDY OF HISTORY provides a fine new collection of essays offering a different look at animals and the process of natural history. The animal plays an important role in human history, and these essays show how animals have enhanced human culture and helped build societies and values. History, philosophy, and natural history blend in a satisfying survey highly recommended for any college-level natural history collection.


The Science/Technology Shelf

The Wonder of Genetics
Richard V. Kowles
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142148, $25.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Wonder of Genetics: The Creepy, the Curious, and the Commonplace offers a fine overview of the scope of genetics and its applications to life. Readers receive a journey through genetic research to discover how it works and how it explains concepts - but the difference is, this book is not directed to neo-scientists, but to lay audiences. Discussions relate to everyday life and cover common misconceptions about genetics in this fine pick recommended for general lending libraries.

Postcards from Mars
Jim Bell
Plume
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9780452296749, $30.00, www.penguin.com

POSTCARDS FROM MARS: THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE RED PLANET offers more photos fro a mission originally only planned to last ninety Mars days - and which is beginning its 7th year. The Mars Rove continues to transmit data and photos and over 250,000 photos have been received to date, with new discoveries being made regularly. Available for the first time in paperback with a new foreword from Bill Nye, this shares color images from the mission in a fine oversized presentation perfect for any astronomy or general lending collection.

Understanding Signal Integrity
Stephen C. Thierauf
Artech House
685 Canton St., Norwood, MA 02062
9781596939813, $139.00, www.artechhouse.com

Understanding Signal Integrity is a top pick for any library strong in electrical engineering. It offers the basic concepts surrounding signal integrity in a title that includes question and answer sections, simple equations for estimation, in-depth discussions on methodology and more, and packs in over 120 illustrations and nearly 100 equations into chapters covering the foundation concepts of circuit board design. Rules of thumb and easy directions come with over 120 illustrations and detailed reference lists, making it a pick for courses as well as reference libraries strong in engineering.


The Humor Shelf

I Found This Funny
Judd Apatow, Editor
McSweeney's
9781934781906, $25.00, www.mcsweenyeys.net

I FOUND THIS FUNNY: MY FAVORITE PIECES OF HUMOR AND SOME THAT MAY NOT BE FUNNY AT ALL is a 'must' for any humor collection. Nearly five hundred pages of top writing by nearly fifty of the editor's favorite authors range from pieces by Raymond Carver and James Agee to Steve Martin and Philip Roth. Readers looking for a superior collection of comedy will find this a top pick.


The Music Shelf

Bob Marley and the Golden Age of Reggae
Kim Gottlieb-Walker
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781848566972, $29.95, www.titanbooks.com

Bob Marley and the Golden Age of Reggae profiles the outstanding Marley photos of author photographer Kim Gottieb-Walker, taken between 1975-1976, adds commentary by Cameron Crowe, Roger Steffens and Jeff Walker, and packs in full-page black and white images offering rare, previously unpublished photos any Marley fan will appreciate. Her concurrent description of the rise of reggae in Jamaica and Southern California makes for an outstanding tribute to Marley in particular and the genre as a whole.

True Hip-Hop
Mike Schreiber
Mark Batty Publishers
36 W. 37th St., #409, New York NY 10018
9781935613114, $14.95, www.markbattypublisher.com

TRUE HIP-HOP belongs in modern music collections as well as photography libraries, and packs in the photos of Mike Schreiber, who has photographed some of hiphop's biggest names, from Harlem to New Orleans. The full-page black and white shots of hip-hop stars make this an outstanding presentation not to be missed by any collection where rap and hip-hop music is of interest.

Reading the Boss
Roxanne Harde & Irwin Streight
Lexington Books
4501 Forbes #200, Lanham MD 20706
9780739145364, $32.95, www.lexingtonbooks.com

READING THE BOSS: INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO THE WORKS OF BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN uses the musician's lyrics to pair with analysis by scholars across a range of academic disciplines. From a comparison between Springsteen and Shakespeare that compares themes and usage to critical reviews of his explorations of gender, religion and more, this uses the works of other notable writers in the process of comparison and analysis. College-level music and literary collections alike will find this a winner!

John Lennon: Life Is What Happens
John M. Broack
Krause Publications
700 East State St., Iola, WI 54990-2873
1440213917, $26.99, www.krausebooks.com

John Lennon: Life Is What Happens celebrates the life of pop musician and social activist John Lennon, capturing rare images of Lennon and the memorabilia generated by his popularity. From the evolution of his music and career to personal memoirs from his fans and celebrities, this packs in a colorful visual survey and is a key 'must' for any rock music library; even those with prior Lennon biographies. Its visual approach makes for an exceptional, bright survey!

I Don't Sound Like Nobody
Albin J. Zak III
University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209
9780472116379, $29.95, www.press.umich.edu

I DON'T SOUND LIKE NOBODY; REMAKING MUSIC IN 1950S AMERICA documents change in the music industry from the 1950s through modern times, and focuses on the changes fostered by recording engineers, songwriters, label owners and radio personalities. A refreshing change from accounts that come from musician viewpoints, this is the first book to reveal recording industry changes and how new music evolved, and is a 'must' for any serious music history collection.

Sex Tips from Rock Stars
Paul Miles
Omnibus Press
c/o Music Sales Corp
257 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10010
9781849384049, $19.95, www.omnibuspress.com

SEX TIPS FROM ROCK STARS: IN THEIR OWN WORDS offers the first confessional book of rock stars' sexual encounters and offers a fun and revealing range of 'dos and don't' advice from these experiences. From fetishes and fantasies to sex toys, groupies, marriage, and more, this packs in a range of eye-opening experiences and is perfect for any general collection, especially those where rock star experiences are of interest.


The World History Shelf

America's Nazi Secret
John Loftus
Trine Day
Box 577, Walterville, OR 97489
9781936296040, $24.95, www.trineday.com

America's Nazi Secret: An Insider's History packs in a hard-hitting survey previously published as The Belarus Secret, appearing here with updated material from recently declassified files. Its original publication, despite government censorship, was the Knopf Nominee for the Pulitzer Price in History: thirty years later this reprint offers all the censored items and much more in a powerful survey any history library must have.

The Accidental Historian
Monte Akers
Texas Tech University Press
Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896727083, $29.95, www.ttupress.org

THE ACCIDENTAL HISTORIAN: TALES OF TRASH AND TREASURE reveals Monte Akers' fascination with the past and his exploration of little-known incidents from some of the most popular events of the past. From a secret about Robert E. Lee to his interest in collecting artifacts and antiques from the past, Akers has a host of colorful observations perfect for any American history or trivia collection.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Ayatollahs' Democracy
Hooman Majd
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110-0017
9780393072594, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

The Ayatollahs' Democracy: An Iranian Challenge comes from a journalist who packs in a personal observation of the political and social world of modern Iran. Iranian history and culture are discussed with an eye to explaining its social and political history, with chapters using privileged access to the Iranian elite to argue that there's still strength and belief in the Iranian republic and a movement that is pushing the country towards democracy. A 'must' for any serious Middle East collection.

Virtual Caliphate
Yaakov Lappin
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166
9781597975117, $26.95, www.potomacbooksinc.com

VIRTUAL CALIPHATE; EXPOSING THE ISLAMIST STATE ON THE INTERNET comes from a commentator for the Jerusalem Post and provides a fine in-depth survey of an Islamist state that exists on computer servers around the world, used to carry out functions such as army recruitment and training and directing finances. It shows how Islamists employ modern technology to link physical with virtual worlds in new ways - and it surveys hard-to-find resources that often no longer exist online to offer a history and analysis of the 'virtual caliphate' in a top pick for any library strong in computer sociology or middle east issues.

Thin Bruised Line
Doug Clark
Key Porter Books
6 Adelaide Street East, 10th Floor, Toronto, Ontario Canada M5C 1H6
1554701945, $34.95, www.keyporter.com

THIN BRUISED LINE: THE IMMINENT THREAT TO POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY discusses the present dangerous state of Canadian policing and comes from a journalist who considers how Canadian police forces are increasingly stretched by poor leadership policies and changing laws. While at first glance this would seem to apply to Canadian police, in reality the Canadian experience mirrors many other regions of the world, with issues of social responsibility, public safety, and security common to all. No law enforcement collection should be without this in-depth probe.

Family of Fallen Leaves
Charles Waugh and Huy Lien
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
0820337145, $19.95, www.ugapress.org

Family of Fallen Leaves: Stories of Agent Orange by Vietnamese Writers gathers works by some of the best-known modern authors in Vietnam who offer essays covering the suffering caused by the use of Agent Orange in their country. Military, literary and social issues collections alike will find this packed with experiences, insights, and social commentary key to understanding the Vietnamese experience, and will find this offers a powerful, literary collection.

Choosing a Sustainable Future
Liz Walker
New Society Publishers
Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0 Canada
9780865716759, $19.95, www.newsociety.com

Choosing a Sustainable Future: Ideas and Inspiration from Ithaca, NY packs in a fine coverage of sustainable development with a focus on Ithaca New York, which has embraced the sustainability revolution of enthusiasm. From green building and changing city planning strategies and values to case histories addressing racism, local economy, and alternative media routes, this is packed with fine insights on how everyday people are choosing sustainable courses of action.

"In Case Atom Bombs Fall"
Michael Scheibach, Editor
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786445417, $39.95, www.mcfarlandpub.com

Deserving of ongoing recommendation is "In Case Atom Bombs Fall": An Anthology of Governmental Explanations, Instructions and Warnings from the 1940s to the 1960s. From bomb shelters and duck and cover drills to civil defense plans, this gathers publications issued by government agencies during the era, arranges them thematically, and includes sections covering atomic bomb and radiation statistics and how to be prepared. American history and social issues collections will find this both lively and fact-filled.

Genetic Justice
Sheldon Krimsky & Tania Simoncelli
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231145206, $29.95, www.cup.columbia.edu

GENETIC JUSTICE: DNA DATA BANKS, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES surveys key issues surrounding DNA data banks established to identify violent criminals. Despite their initial establishment their circle of usefulness expanded to include people just arrested - not hardened criminals - and advances in biotechnology and forensic DNA science have led to further erosion of civil liberties. Two leading authors on medical ethics and science policy here consider how the U.S. is using DNA technology, offering insights on privacy issues raised by changed usage. College-level social issues and justice collections will find this an important acquisition.


The Literary Shelf

One Story, Thirty Stories
Zohra Saed and Sahar Muradi
The University of Arkansas Press
McIlroy House, 201 Ozark Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
155728945X, $24.95, www.uapress.com

One Story, Thirty Stories: An Anthology of Contemporary Afghan American Literature is a 'must' for any Middle East or literary library. It packs in works of written by Afghan Americans and covers basic Afghan concerns, from facing lives in exile to the difficulties of changed and challenged lives in their homelands. Poetry, fiction and essays alike contribute to a diverse, powerful and literary survey of life in Afghanistan.

The Creative Writer's Survival Guide
John McNally
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, Iowa City IA 52242
1587299208, $19.95, www.uiowapress.org

The Creative Writer's Survival Guide: Advice from an Unrepentant Novelist is a 'must' for creative writers and their teachers. It's directed to fiction writers and offers a survey of writing's challenges by an author who has published three novels and hundreds of short stories and essays. He's earned three degrees, taught writing to thousands at nine universities, and is in the perfect position to chart the ups and downs of creative writing, from agents and queries to book promotion and jobs for writers.

Farnsworth's Classical English Rhetoric
Ward Farnsworth
David R. Godine
9 Hamilton Place, Boston MA 02108
9781567923858, $26.95, www.godine.com

Farnsworth's Classical English Rhetoric is a 'must' for any college-level linguistics library and for students interested in literary traditions and the English language. The basic elements of effective speaking and writing, patterns that lend to power, and tips for writers who would use the English language more effectively make for a fine tutorial illustrating invaluable rhetorical usage. History and modern perspectives blend in this outstanding guide!

The Last Lingua Franca
Nicholas Ostler
Walker & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780802717719, $28.00, www.walkerbooks.com

The Last Lingua Franca: English Until the Return of Babel comes from a linguist who argues that English is not actually going global, even though it dominates as a mother tongue. In actuality it's slipping around the world, and chapters trace this slip and its underlying reasons. Clues to the future of English consider its likely successor and possibilities of its demise in this recommendation for any linguistics or general lending library.


The Biography Shelf

A New York Memoir
Richard Goodman
Transaction Books
300 McGaw Drive, Raritan Center, Edison, NJ 08837
9781412814928, $29.95, www.transactionpub.com

A NEW YORK MEMOIR follows a life lived in New York City over a period of thirty years and begins in 1975, when the author first arrived in the City. His encounters, friendships, inner city challenges, and more evolve in a fine account that always keeps his personal experiences steeped in the cultural milieu that is New York City. Collections strong in regional flavor in general and New York City culture in particular will find this a fine addition.

John Bianchi
Dennis Alder
Blue Book Publications
8009 - 34th Avenue South, Suite 175, Minneapolis, MN 55425
1886768889, $39.95, www.bluebookinc.com

John Bianchi - An American Legend - 50 Years of Gunleather offers an outstanding pictorial biography pairing a lovely oversized presentation perfect for coffee tables with color photos and in-depth surveys of the 'Godfather of Gunleather'. John Bianchi's works changed gun carry methods and handgun performance: he founded the world's largest manufacturer of gunleather for professional shooters and he set the standard for quality and innovation. No collection strong in gun history should be without this outstanding biography!

Kasey to the Rescue
Ellen Rogers
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401323417, $23.99, www.hyperionbooks.com

KASEY TO THE RESCUE: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF A MONKEY AND A MIRACLE offers a fine account of courage and how an engaging 'service monkey' changed a family's life. The author's son was in a car accident that left him fighting for his life - and their prayers for a miracle resulted in a Monkey helper for the Disabled. This engaging story of how a new challenge evolved in living with a Monkey Helper makes for an engaging, fun story of recovery perfect for any general lending library.

Pioneers: The Frontier Family of Barack Obama
Stephen MacDonogh
Dufour Editions
Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9780863224331, $34.95, www.dufoureditions.com

Pioneers: The Frontier Family of Barack Obama tells the story of Barack Obama's family heritage, focusing on his mother Ann Dunham and her Irish-American background. Obama credits his mother for many of his values and perspectives, and this biography has been meticulously researched and is packed with previously unseen photos in a 'must have' recommendation.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Scandinavian Stitches
Kajsa Qikman
Stash Books
c/o C&T Publishing
Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549
9781607050070, $22.95, www.stashbooks.com

Scandinavian Stitches: 21 Playful Projects with Seasonal Flair offers keys to projects ranging from quilts and pillows to ornaments, with easy materials listings and instructions accompanying full-page patterns, color photos, and keys to adding Scandinavian-influenced designs to needlework projects. The result is an excellent addition to needlework libraries looking for ethnic flair.

Quilting: The Basics & Beyond
Jeri Simon
Landauer Publishing
3100 - 101st St., Suite A, Urbandale, IA 50322
9780982558638, $27.95, www.landauercorp.com

Quilting: The Basics & Beyond tells how to learn successful, basic quilting techniques based on seven easy projects and a techniques DVD accompanying them. From choosing fabric and supplies to matching and mixing colors, this teaches piecing, rotary-cutting, basic blocks, strips, and even left-handed rotary cutting techniques.

Flip Flop Block Quilts
Kathie Alyce
American Quilters Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574326758, $22.95, www.americanquilter.com

Flip Flop Block Quilts covers the basics of curved piecing techniques that use NO pinning, clipping or notching. Instead one shape makes a variety of curved designs and comes from a quilter who blends her modern technique with traditional designs in some 18 projects ranging from placemats to queen-size bed quilts.

Quick Nordic Knits
Ann-Mari Nilsson
Trafalgar Square Books
Box 257, North Pomfret, VT 05053
9781570764691, $16.95, www.trafalgarbooks.com

Quick Nordic Knits: 50 Socks, Hats and Mittens offers a fine collection of cold-weather gear from Scandinavia and is perfect for those who like Nordic designs but seek original patterns. The designer author uses bold colors and motifs to blend traditional patterns with modern trends: step-by-step directions, color photos of finished projects, and charts make it easy for knitters to produce quick, polished results.

Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders
Judith Durant, Editor
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCa Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781603425797, $18.95, www.storey.com

Sock yarn isn't just for knitting socks: it can be used in a range of variations and projects, and this book provides over 100 patterns that use sock-yarn single skeins in different sock and non-sock projects. Patterns cover leg warmers, mittens, toys and much more and pair small color photos with size charts and pattern details. Needlework collections will find this a fine addition.

Modern Knits, Vintage Style
Kari Cornell, Editor
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North #300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760336793, $25.00, www.voyageurpress.com

Modern Knits, Vintage Style: Classic Designs from the Golden Age of Knitting offers over twenty new but retro-inspired designs from a range of designers in a fine knitter's collection packed with color photos of each project plus vintage shots of garments that inspired the patterns. The color photos, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions for creating each vintage piece make for a top pick knitters will appreciate.

Crochet Inspiration
Sasha Kagan
Sixth&Spring Books
161 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10013
9781936096091, $19.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Crochet Inspiration is a 'must' for any crocheter's collection. Over 2300 swatches in four categories are accompanied by written instructions, charts for each swatch, patterns, and details from designer Sasha Kagan. Photos and tips accompany an oversized presentation that holds full-page close-up examples of swatches and keys to their applications and connections. Crochet collections will consider this a 'must have'.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

American Flyer Pocket Price Guide 1946-2011
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780897785402, $15.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

American Flyer Pocket Price Guide 1946-2011 is the perfect item of choice for any interested in buying, selling or trading any American Flyer or S. gauge train. Train hobbyists receive brief item descriptions, variations, suggested fair-market values, and more based on collector expertise. No color photos, but the pocket size and facts are key for those who don't need identification photos.

Collector's Guide to Modern Federal Reserve Notes
Robert Azpiazu
Whitman Books
3101 Clairmont Rd., Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30329
9780794832377, $29.95, www.whitmanbooks.com

Collector's Guide to Modern Federal Reserve Notes Series 1963-2009 offers a spiral-bound format which may not lend readily to library shelving and easy location, but is perfect for collectors seeking lay-flat binding and an expertise that can only come from a numismatic researcher and longtime paper-money dealer. This definitive guide uses his experience plus those of leading hobbyists to provide a checklist for collectors, discussing the history of Federal Reserve notes, tips on how to collect and organize them, and how to understand markings. Color photos of the notes on nearly every page assure this is a winning reference for any avid money collector.


The Military Shelf

Hitler's Master of the Dark Arts
Bill Yenne
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North #300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760337783, $30.00, www.zenithpress.com

Hitler's Master of the Dark Arts: Himmler's Black Knights and the Occult Origins of the SS offers a close consideration of Hitler's Nazi Party from a different perspective: its bizarre interpretation of ancient European paganism blended with symbols and ideas of ancient religions. At the heart of this approach was Hitler's sidekick Heinrich Himmler and his cult the SS. Chapters offer the first history of the SS and its mystical cult connections in an absorbing, different analysis perfect for any military collection.

The Last Good War
Thomas Sanders & Veronica Kavass
Welcome Books
6 West 18th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10011
9781599620855, $45.00, www.welcomebooks.com

THE LAST GOOD WAR: THE FACES AND VOICES OF WORLD WAR II pairs striking black and white photos by Thomas Sanders with a collection of the untold stories of World War II vets, creating a rich personal chronicle of war experience. Interviews include Japanese American, Native American, and other experiences and captures key images and memories perfect for general and military libraries alike.

Medieval Handgonnes
Sean McLachman
Osprey Publishing
44-02 - 23rd St., #219, Long Island City, NY 11101
9781849081559, $17.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

MEDIEVAL HANDGONNES: THE FIRST BLACK POWDER INFANTRY WEAPONS joins others in Osprey's new 'weapons' series to provide a review of the impact of small arms in military service. This book charts the rise of the 14th century new weapon that used black powder to shoot projectiles. The weapon's successful use in the field lead to the development of mobile troops and the first handgonnes offered accuracy and new strategic power. Military weapons collections will welcome this survey!

Men in German Uniform
Antonio Thompson
The University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
9781572337282, $41.95, www.utpress.org

Men in German Uniform: POWs IN AMERICA DURING WORLD WAR II uses extensive archival research to probe ways in which the U.S. government tried to comply with the Geneva Convention's mandate that prisoners be moved from the war zone and treated as humanely. From handling violence within POW camps to why military bonds eroded when prisoners on the same side became POWs, this is an important survey key to any military collection and many a World War II history library.


The Education Shelf

On Purpose
Samuel Casey Carter
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
9781412986724, $30.95, www.corwin.com

ON PURPOSE; HOW GREAT SCHOOL CULTURES FORM STRONG CHARACTER profiles twelve unusual K-12 public and charter schools where confident children strive to accomplish goals with friends. From students who build a sense of purpose and achievement to teachers who feel motivated and rewarded, this offers a range of field-tested strategies for creating a healthy school culture and should be a 'must' for any education library.

The Castle in the Classroom
Ranu Bhattacharyya
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571107701, $19.00, www.stenhouse.com

THE CASTLE IN THE CLASSROOM: STORY AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR EARLY LITERACY describes a year in a kindergarten classroom as different children embark on the road to literacy. Focus lessons throughout this book use stories ranging from folktales to personal narratives to encourage kids to experience reading and writing on a more interactive level. Early teaching collection will find this an excellent survey, filled with inviting perspectives on reading a diverse audience.

Ready to Read
Mary Lupiani Farrell & Francie M. Matthews
Paul H. Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
159857051X, $24.95, www.brookespublishing.com

READY TO READ: A MULTISENSORY APPROACH TO LANGUAGE-BASED COMPREHENSION DISCUSSION is a pick for teachers working with kids with reading disabilities. Both general and special education teachers will find this packed with keys to explaining how a skill develops and how to tailor instruction based on a student's language abilities. From the building blocks to complex sentences to retelling a structured story and understanding how listening comprehension works, this pairs case studies with field-tested teaching strategies.

Asphalt to Ecosystems
Sharon Gamson Danks
New Village Press
Box 3049, Oakland, CA 94609
9780976605485, $39.95, www.newvillagepress.net

Asphalt to Ecosystems: Design Ideas for Schoolyard Transformation provides a fine guidebook for designing and building ecologically diverse schoolyards, then blending nature activities into the areas for K-12. Over 500 color photos packs an illustrated guide for transforming traditional asphalt playgrounds into edible gardens, wildlife habitats and more, using examples from over 150 schools in 11 countries with varying climates. An inspirational, absorbing, unique read for any contemplating the transformation of either an entire schoolyard or a section of ground.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

A New Shoah
Giulio Meotti
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York NY 10003
9781594034770, $27.95, www.encounterbooks.com

A NEW SHOAH: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ISRAEL'S VICTIMS OF TERRORISM provides a powerful blend of Middle East history, racial examination, and survey of life in Israel. This is the first book devoted to telling the story of Israeli terror victims killed just because they were Jews, and offers an oral history of the Middle East conflict from the views of Jewish victims and their families. The families destroyed by terrorist attacks in everyday life recount their stories of loss and earth-shattering experiences in a book that should be in every Jewish collection.


The Crafts Shelf

Soldering Made Simple
Joe Silvera
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780871164063, $21.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Soldering Made Simple: Easy Techniques for the Kitchen-Table Jeweler tells how to make professional-quality jewelry at home, teaching all the basics for understanding soldering techniques, from fueling to soldering skills and related metalworking techniques. Reinforcing these basics are 12 jewelry projects that use the instruction to apply to real-world projects. A top pick, this belongs in any crafter's collection.

A-Z of Flower Portraits
Billy Showell
Search Press
1338 Ross Street, Petaluma, CA 94954-1117
9781844484522, $35.00, www.searchpress.com

Any painter serious about learning how to paint flowers must have A-Z OF FLOWER PORTRAITS. It's packed with keys to modern watercolors and features some forty flower portraits in alphabetical order, each accompanied by small studies and step-by-step directions. From techniques to materials, this is key for any learning how to work with watercolors for maximum effect.

Trash Origami
Michael G. LaFosse & Richard L. Alexander
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9780804841351, $19.95, www.tuttlepublishing.com

Trash Origami: 25 Paper Folding Projects Reusing Everyday Materials offers 25 fun origami projects from the Origamido Studio and some of the world's best paper folding designers. From everyday materials such as cash register receipts and business cards to grocery bags, maps and even postcards, this offers a fine collection of embellishments and applications and is a perfect pick for any origami artist.


The Photography Shelf

Photographic Composition: A Visual Guide
Richard D. Zakia & David A. Page
Focal Press
30 Corporate Drive #400, Burlington, MA 01803
9780240815077, $29.95, www.focalpress.com

Photographic Composition: A Visual Guide is specific to photographers who want a visual format illustrating the basic rules of composition. Images show how to apply rules to common photography challenges and explain why these rules work in image examples. From Before Capture to Capture to After Capture, this covers all the tips needed to help photographers construct their own unique, outstanding images and is an outstanding 'must' for any collection.

Composition: From Snapshots to Great Shots
Laurie Excell, et.al.
Peachpit Press
1249 - 8th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
0321741323, $24.99, www.peachpit.com

Composition: From Snapshots to Great Shots is for any newcomer to DSLR photography who want to go beyond the basic 'how tos' to understand how to take great photos. From the basics of composition to color, angles and contrast, this provides works by contributing photographers whose large-size photos supplement keys to taking great shots. No camera owner should be without this survey, that addresses all components of superior images!

Unseen Ansel Adams
Jason Weems
Thunder Bay Press
10350 Barnes Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92121
1607100134, $39.95, www.thunderbaybooks.com

Unseen Ansel Adams: Photographs from the Fiat Lux Collection offers an outstanding resource in an oversized edition to showcase Ansel Adams' works. Only a small portion of Adams' photos were used for the original centennial celebration FIAT LUX: this gathers the remaining resources and packs in over 1,700 images - gorgeous presentations of black and white beauty. No photography library should be without!

Practical HDRI
Jack Howard
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission Street, Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
9781933952321, $32.95, www.rockynook.com

PRACTICAL HDRI: HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS deserves ongoing recommendation as a key pick from an expert who explores the new opportunities offered by High Dynamic Range Imaging techniques. HDRI is a method to digitally capture, store and edit the full luminosity range of a scene: chapters cover programs, techniques, and effective imaging.


The Parenting Shelf

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child
Anthony Esolen
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
1935191888, $26.95, www.isibooks.org

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child documents trends in child rearing and education which have become the hallmarks of child rearing - but may ultimately constrict and limit a child's imagination. Using a witty style of observation, this documents the problems inherent in day care, play dates, constant supervision, video and TV viewing and more, offering alternatives to help parents foster, not stifle, a child's imagination process.


The Philosophy Shelf

A New History of Western Philosophy
Anthony Kenny
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016-4314
9780199589883, $39.95, www.oup.com/us

A New History of Western Philosophy offers a fine definitive collection of philosophical history and ideas from ancient to modern times, and is a recommended pick for any library seeking writings on philosophy and its history, whether it be a general or school collection. Four fine books blend into one volume and come from a scholar who chronologically discusses works from Cicero to Freud, offering social, political, and philosophical history in the first major single-author narrative to appear in decades. Very highly recommended as a key acquisition!


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Valley of Dry Bones
Priscilla Royal
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Avenue #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590587638, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

VALLEY OF DRY BONES provides a powerful medieval mystery set in 1274 and probing King Edward's reign. His queen contemplates a pilgrimage and Prioress Eleanor nervously awaits a royal visit - only to discover one of the courtiers is murdered. Her involvement in the investigation will reveal an underlying current of politics, revenge and power games reaching into her secluded religious life in this fine dramatic historical mystery, perfect for any collection seeing patron interest in early settings.


The Fiction Shelf

The Final Reckoning
Sam Bourne
Harper
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10023-5299
9780061875748, $26.99, www.harpercollins.com

Tom Byrne will work for anyone - but his latest assignment involves a hidden brotherhood and a world mission that has caused numerous deaths. Based on the true story of a group of Holocaust survivors that sought revenge for Nazi deeds, this provides a thriller packed with unexpected twists and turns, tension, and social issues surrounding World War II secrets and the Holocaust, and is a top pick for any general lending library strong in thrillers in historical novels.


The Native American Shelf

Native American Food Plants
Daniel E. Moerman
Timber Press Inc.
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
9781604691894, $34.95, www.timberpress.com

Native American Food Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary documents the food uses of over 1500 plants by 221 Native American groups, revealing over thirty categories of food uses from a range of species. Based on 25 years of research on every historical and anthropological record of Native ways, this culinary dictionary is a wide-ranging key essential for Native American reference libraries and culinary collections alike!


The Library DVD Shelf

Tranquility Films
NTS Images
Box 116, Colwich, KS 67030
No ISBN, $19.95 Each, www.ntsimages.com

WINGS 'N OTHER WILD THINGS and CORAL REEF ODYS-SEA offers two-volume DVD nature videos that bring nature and serenity to DVD format. Volume 1 is CORAL REEF, an underwater video that blends high-definition surveys of underwater life with relaxing audio tracks. Volume 2 - WINGS - follows rivers and bird life, also filmed in high definition by photographers Tim Blanton and Joe Ruocco. Both are outstanding views for relaxation.

Tribal Energy Cardio
Suzanne Forbes-Vierling, Ph.D.
No ISBN DVD, $19.95, www.tribalenergycario.com

Tribal Energy Cardio provides a new workout video approach that adapts Western African dance movements with cardio and dance steps to create a fun workout routine for all. Live drumming rhythms and more follow a breakdown of moves that make it easy for newcomers to either Suzanne's unique style or cardio workouts in general. As a teacher of African style dance for eight years, Suzanne lends top-notch experience to her style in a top pick for any cardio workout collection!


The Nautical Shelf

Plain Sailing
Dallas Murphy
Burford Books Inc.
101 East State St., #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
9781580801614, $18.95, www.burfordbooks.com

PLAIN SAILING: LEARNING TO SEE LIKE A SAILOR explains sail trim for the new sailor and is a 'must' for any newcomer to sailing who would learn about boating, its skills, its equipment, and its challenges. Aspiring sailors receive clear keys to jargon and terms, basic explanations of sailing terms that require no previous knowledge, and a fine basic guide that covers the basics of sail trim and relationships between knowledge and fun. From how to look at sails to diagnosing problems, this covers all the basics for any would-be sailor who wants to get the most out of a boat.


The California Shelf

The Color of America Has Changed
Mark Brilliant
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016-4314
9780195160505, $34.95, www.oup.com

THE COLOR OF AMERICA HAS CHANGED: HOW RACIAL DIVERSITY SHAPED CIVIL RIGHTS REFORM IN CALIFORNIA 1941-1978 examines California's history to illustrate how the civil rights era was shaped not just by black experiences, but by Mexicans, Japanese and Chinese Americans alike. A range of legal and social changes pursued by a diverse group of reformers led to battles for fair employment, housing, and education: this focuses on California's experiences in civil rights legislation and will prove key to both California and civil rights history holdings alike.

Frozen Music
David Chu, Editor
Heyday Books
Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
9781597141376, $18.95, www.heydaybooks.com

FROZEN MUSIC: A LITERARY EXPLORATION OF CALIFORNIA ARCHITECTURE offers an outstanding survey exploring the diversity of California architecture in an unusual manner, using excerpts from novels, memoirs, essays and poems. This literary exploration offers a captivating exploration that will appeal not just to architectural students, but to any interested in literary California history and culture, examining California's social and cultural evolution in a highly recommended, unique pick!

California Home Landscaping
Roger Holmes & Lance Walheim
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
9781580114998, $19.95, www.creativehomeowner.com

California Home Landscaping: 48 Landscape Designs packs in over 200 plant ideas and designs for California, including step-by-step directions on how to incorporate them into building structures. Over 400 color photos and illustrations pack a fine survey on how to work with hills and different kinds of landscapes for maximum effect. This brings professional home landscaping into the hands of the homeowner, who will be delighted to see polished results can come from their amateur hands with a bit of solid advice from CALIFORNIA HOME LANDSCAPING.

Heyday Books
Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
www.heydaybooks.com

Laura Cunningham's A STATE OF CHANGE: FORGOTTEN LANDSCAPES OF CALIFORNIA (9781597141369, $50.00) blends the author's artistic drawings with her background as a naturalist and represents over twenty years of her search through historical and paleontological data to reveal California's landscape heritage. Cunningham created paintings of landscapes and wildlife from her research and her observations in the wild: this celebration of California's heritage and conservation is a unique, outstanding 'must' for any interested in the state's ecology and science. Joell Hallowell and Coke Hallowell's TAKE ME TO THE RIVER: FISHING, SWIMMING, AND DREAMING ON THE SAN JOAQUIN (9781597141437, $21.95) offers a fine memoir of California's San Joaquin River, surveying a vanishing way of life as the river's changed. Fishermen, Native Americans, hunters, farmers and more provide their stories capturing both river history and connections to the changing state and nature of the San Joaquin in a fine survey any California history collection will appreciate!

Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
www.arcadiapublishing.com

THE CAJON PASS by Alice Eby Hall (0738570753, $21.99) joins others in the visual history 'Images of America' collection, this documenting a small California region tucked between two mountain ranges. The Cajon Pass was first opened to business by roads that followed old Native American trails. Railroads then utility trunks followed, and the Cajon Pass became a passage of choice for miners, pioneers and others. Three major museums and historical societies cooperated to provide the vintage photos presented here and gathered by an author who has lived in the lower Cajon pass since 1948. Southern California collections in particular need this history! Also a pick is Sheryl Rambeau's GEORGETOWN (0738581135, $21.99), a fine survey of a town that survived despite fires, economic slumps, and more. Set in Northern California' Sierra Nevada foothills, Georgetown features a historic main street and has been rebuilt. The author began collecting vintage photos and historical information in the 1970s when she was editor of The Georgetown Gazette, and her holdings and story celebrate the town's history. Branwell Fanning's TIBURON AND BELVEDERE (0738581887, $21.99) comes from a historian and mayor of Tiburon who uses his own collection plus those of the Belvedere/Tiburon Landmarks Society to trace the visual history of this small California community's changes. Arcadia's 'Then & Now' series offers a fine set of visual comparisons tracing the region's evolution and is a pick for any California San Francisco Bay Area collection.


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

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


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