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

California Bookwatch

Volume 11, Number 7 July 2016 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Language Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Military Shelf Audiobook Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Beer Shelf Architecture Shelf Photography Shelf
Art Shelf Gardening Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Computer Shelf Education Shelf Terrorism Studies Shelf
Sports Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Business Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Crafts Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Biography Shelf
Fiction Shelf California Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Natural Hair Coloring
Christine Shahin
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781612125985, $18.95, www.storey.com

Natural Hair Coloring: How to Use Henna and Other Pure Herbal Pigments for Chemical-Free Beauty advocates using pure herbs for hair coloring and comes from a stylist who has used such at her eco-salon for years. She's developed coloring products using four herbs - henna, indigo, amla and cassia obovata - to create shares of brown, black, red and blonde, and these herbs hold the added benefit of strengthening hair rather than coloring through caustic processes. Chapters show how to use herbal colorings, how to fix common mistakes, and offer step-by-step visual photo application guides. The result is a highly recommended pick for any who would eschew the usual chemical-based hair coloring approaches for something gentler.


The Language Studies Shelf

Dawn
Rik Smits
Transaction Publishers
10 Corporate Place South, Piscataway, NJ 08854
9781412862653, $29.95, www.transactionpub.com

Dawn: The Origins of Language and the Modern Human Mind is recommended for linguistics and communications collections at the college level and provides an inviting discussion originally published in Dutch and revolving around how human language skills evolved over the centuries. From language's advancements and connections to intellectual development and reasoning abilities to brain development and links to language evolution, this is a fine introduction that is certain to spark much classroom debate and discussion in linguistics circles.


The Self-Help Shelf

The Sacred 6
JB Glossinger
Hay House
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401947989, $24.99, www.hayhouse.com

The Sacred 6: The Simple Step-by-Step Process for Focusing Your Attention & Recovering Your Dreams comes from a motivational speaker and consultant who acquired the goal of being a business leader, but still felt that something was missing from his professional achievements. What was required was an alignment of his personal and professional goals - and The Sacred 6 was the result, outlining a process of achievement that he accomplished in a three-hour workday, and which may be duplicated by any who follow his insights here. From developing specific goals and habits to reach them to honing a better bigger picture purpose in life, The Sacred 6 outlines a program designed to help readers identify the values in their lives and the kinds of projects that will achieve them.


The Military Shelf

Veterans Voices
Robert H. Miller & Andrew Wakeford
National Geographic Books
101 West 104th Street, Suite 8, New York, NY 10025
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426216381, $35.00, www.nationalgeographic.com/books

Veterans Voices: Remarkable Stories of Heroism, Sacrifice, and Honor celebrates veterans who have served over the decades by gathering their firsthand accounts and pairing them with the authors' lovely photos. In contrasting the military services of men and women who served in World War II, Korea, Iraq, and Vietnam, and choosing veterans whose backgrounds range from officers to medical personnel and more, this profiles heroes whose thoughts and actions made a difference beyond their battlefield or service experiences. All are inspiring, remarkable sagas that consider duty, achievement, and the basics of surviving against all odds to continue to honor self, country, and fellow man. No military or patriotic collection should be without this inspirational collection.


The Audiobook Shelf

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

James Patterson's When the Wind Blows (9781478982630, $25.00) receives a fine reading from Kimberly Schraf, whose evocative voice brings to life to story of a Colorado vet haunted by her husband's murder. When another strange murder takes place and an FBI investigator involves Frannie in her case, Frannie discovers a clue that may prove a salvation even as it reveals an extraordinary plot connecting seemingly disparate events. David Baldacci's The Last Mile appears both abridged (9781478962717, $30.00) and unabridged (9781478930006, $40.00) and is narrated by Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy who do an outstanding job of capturing events surrounding a convicted killer facing his execution for the killing of his parents until someone else confesses to the crime. But is he really innocent. As investigations continue and the truth comes out, a strange and winding series of events creates a compelling story filled with twists and turns. These are outstanding audio listens, highly recommended for fans of mysteries and thrillers.

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

Why is the Dalai Lama Always Smiling? by Lama Tsomo (9781522649991, $24.99) provides a powerful listen, especially since the reader is author Lama Tsomo himself, who brings to life his explanations and insights on how to enter into a meditative state and enjoy its benefits. He assumes no prior familiarity with such a stat as he focuses on how Westerners can understand and apply Tibetan Buddhism to their lives and modern dilemmas, but the real plus here is a voice that is powerful and evocative, bringing to life a message that is spirited, friendly, accessible and compelling all in one. Philip Zimbardo and Nikita Coulombe's Man Interrupted (97815111364775, $24.99) is performed by David deVries, whose smooth and revealing voice brings to life a survey of why young men are in trouble in a new world that attracts them with video games and online porn. A particular kind of young man uses these devices to avoid real-life relationships and challenges, and it's up to families and society as a whole to identify these young men at risk and devise counter-attractions to move them into the real world. Both audios are powerful presentations highly recommended for any who would evolve new perspectives on life.


The Cookbook Shelf

Tarts
Frederic Anton and Christelle Brua with Chihiro Masui
Rizzoli
300 Park Avenue South, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10010
www.rizzoliusa.com
9780789331236, $35.00, www.rizzoliusa.com

Tarts packs in 100 recipes for sweet and savory tarts and provides techniques and tips from French pastry chefs as it explores a range of dough recipes and filling options. While novice chefs will find much to like here, Tarts is especially recommended for those with some basic experience handling pastry who want a treasure trove of recipes to expand their repertoires. Full-page color photos accompany such dishes as Caramelized Apple Tart, Kiwi Tart, Maroilles Cheese, Cream and Cumin Tart, and more. Some are very simple productions which any novice could easily create while others require a number of preparation steps. All will readily appeal to any cook who likes to work with pastry.

Raw Cakes
Joanna Farrow
Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
97817416015267, $12.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

Raw Cakes: 30 Delicious, No-Bake, Vegan, Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free Cakes may initially sound unappetizing, but in fact these cakes are delicious productions which include plenty of spices and flavors and a simple approach that anyone can follow. From a no-bake Chocolate Mousse Cake with Summer Berries made from cacao powder, avocados and fresh berries to Coconut Neapolitan Cake made with various nuts, coconut, cacao powder and flavorings, this is packed with products which are unusual and appealing.

Eat Drink Shine
Jennifer, Jessica & Jill Emich
Kyle Books
192 - 198 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, England, SW1V 1DX
National Book Network (distributor)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781909487369, $29.95, www.kylebooks.com

Eat Drink Shine: Inspiration from Our Kitchen comes from triplet sisters who consider food the center of their lives, and who offer a hundred gluten-free, Paleo, whole foods-based recipes in a collection of foods, drinks, and creations based on their shared passion for pleasurable culinary experiences. Many of these dishes are surprisingly easy: a Pan-Seared Bone-In Chicken Thighs recipe, for one example, uses only chicken, salt, and olive oil; while a sweet, tart garnish of Cultured Carrots and Ginger requires only fresh carrots and ginger and sea salt and water to produce a brined relish that aids in digestion. Full-page color photos accompany most recipes, which will prove accessible to any interested in healthier cooking without sacrificing flavor.

Food Swap
Emily Paster
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612125633, $19.95, www.storey.com

Food Swap: Specialty Recipes for Bartering, Sharing & Giving and represents something different in the cookbook world: a collection of recipes especially designed for exchanging. Some eighty recipes for everything from jams and cookies to soup, vinegar, relishes, and drinks advocate pairing portable foods in jars with community get-togethers and swaps. From what to expect from a swap and how to host a get-together to choosing containers to display finished products, this is a step above the usual approach for preserves and relishes, expanding the possibilities to include foods that might not initially be considered options for swapping. Color photos, sidebars of information, and details on how to cook and how to swap make for an appealing, fun recipe collection that advocates community involvement.

Pickled Delicacies
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764348723, $24.99, www.schifferpublishing.com

Pickled Delicacies: Vinegar, Oil, and Alcohol is filled with color photos, tips and ideas for pickling in three different mediums, and is especially recommended for home cooks who have done some basic pickling in vinegar but who want to expand their concept of pickled products. Chapters discuss such varied topics as pickling vegetables in salt, fish in vinegar, and preserving fruits in alcohol, and offer plenty of details on how to make the most of combining fresh produce and even meats to best pickling advantage.

The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining
The Chew
Disney Books
125 West End Avenue, New York, NY 10023
www.disneybooks.com
9781484753552, $19.99, www.thechew.com

The Chew: An Essential Guide to Cooking and Entertaining comes from a popular TV show and gathers the recipes and insights of hosts of The Chew as it pairs recipes with tips on entertaining family and friends. The advantage of having a cookbook collection based on a TV show is that viewer questions are incorporated into the mix, with discussions including how to tweak recipes and how lost vintage dishes were investigated and re-created for viewers by The Chew's experts. Add color photos throughout and personal comments on what makes each a recommended recipe and you have a lively, winning result.


The Beer Shelf

Wood & Beer: A Brewer's Guide
Dick Cantwell & Peter Bouckaert
Brewers Association
1327 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
9781938469213, $19.95, www.brewerspublications.com

Wood & Beer: A Brewer's Guide is recommended for any serious brewer working from home or professionally who want specific details on how to use and understand the effects of wood types and storage devices on the taste and biology of beer. From how to obtain, assess, and maintain wooden vessels to specific discussions of different types of woods and their flavor effects on beer (a topic too often reserved for wine producers), this is a unique survey that blends history, brewing savvy, and discussions of various options suitable for any serious brewer.


The Architecture Shelf

Voyage Le Corbusier: Drawing on the Road
Jacob Brillhart
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393733563, $35.00, www.wwnorton.com

Voyage Le Corbusier: Drawing on the Road belongs in any collection serious about architecture and gathers sketchbook drawings and watercolors from Charles-Edouard Jeannert, a student whose works gave him the name of Le Corbusier. Between 1907 and 1911 he traveled through Europe sketching architectural wonders, ruins, and landscapes alike. These images served as foundation pieces for his later works and influenced many modern designs: as such, any college-level architecture student will find this a treasure trove. Dozens of unpublished drawings appear alongside those reproduced in full color for the first time, while accompanying discussion and analysis provide insights into Jeanneret's abilities and choices in representing objects. The result is a highly recommended and rare examination of Le Corbusier's focus and productions.


The Photography Shelf

Bruce Davidson: An Illustrated Biography
Vicki Goldberg
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
9783791381350, $49.95, www.prestel.com

Bruce Davidson: An Illustrated Biography provides the second volume in a series of illustrated biographies of Magnum photographers, with this tracing the life and achievements of a documentary photographer, and is highly recommended for any collection strong in photography history. This represents the first in-depth study of his life and art, and shows how a loner used his camera to open up new worlds for himself and his fans. Nearly two hundred illustrations - some fifty in color - accompany an oversized review of Davidson's life, times, and art in a highly recommended production essential not just for Davidson fans, but for any who enjoy biographies of camera artists.


The Art Shelf

Painted Sky
E. Ashley Rooney
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764349614, $50.00, www.schifferpublishing.com

Painted Sky: 106 Artists of the Rocky Mountain West provides a collection that contrasts the works of a number of modern artists in the Rocky Mountain region, providing some 600 full color photos of works in various mediums, from paint and photography to sculpture. The subject focus is on how this region is depicted, with photos of the artists and personal insights about their works, medium and perceptions accompanying gorgeous multi-shot displays of their pieces. The result is a art title that needs to be in every art reference collection and especially in any holding strong in Rocky Mountain western culture.


The Gardening Shelf

How to Plant a Garden
Matt James
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781845339845, $34.99, www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Normally one has to watch out for overseas gardening guides: quite often they feature plants unavailable in the U.S. or growing conditions that don't quite match many U.S. environments - but How to Plant a Garden: Design Tips, Ideas and Planting Schemes for Year-Round Interest holds no such limitations and is a top recommendation for any gardener. It tells how to choose among plants offered at any local garden center, how to develop a landscape design and garden scheme, and steps novices through the entire process, from how to assess available space for gardening qualities to how to work with basic design ideas to make the most of it. The result is a wonderful guide that is a highly recommended pick for any novice looking for a basic instructional on how to get started.

The Little Veggie Patch DIY Garden Projects
Mat Pember and Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
Hardie Grant
9781743790991, $34.95, www.hardiegrant.com.au

DIY Garden Projects comes packed with easy activities for edible gardening and shows how to change a backyard space of any size into a practical vegetable garden. Nearly forty projects offer step-by-step approaches to this project and show how to build not only garden spaces, but useful accessories such as sheds and containers. The focus on budget incorporates recycled materials and advocates composting, while a wealth of step-by-step photos leave nothing to puzzle over. Novices will appreciate a clear DIY title that encourages easy garden development.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Complications in Small Animal Surgery
Dominique Griffon and Anick Hamaide, Editors
Wiley Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
9780470959626, $149.99, www.wiley.com/go/veterinary

Complications in Small Animal Surgery is a top recommendation for veterinary practices, students, and any involved in small animal surgery, providing an in-depth survey that blends algorithms and tables with information on different surgical procedures, their operative and post-operative risk factors (some are small while some are many), and how surgeons can minimize these risks. Packed with discussions of all body systems and the types of surgeries that lead to special considerations, Complications in Small Animal Surgery is a reference that blends the latest research and findings with specific recommendations surgeons can use both before and after surgeries. No vet's office should be without this detailed, invaluable reference.


The Computer Shelf

COMSOL 5 for Engineers
M. Tabatabaian
Mercury Learning
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781942270423, $79.95, www.merclearning.com

Comsol 5 for Engineers comes with a disc of executable copies of each model in the text as it provides an updated edition of the previous title COMSOL for Engineers, and is designed for engineers from various disciplines who look for a review of the program and its modeling techniques. The focus is on presenting examples of models that can translate to achievable lesson plans for similar problems, and the approach pairs modeling guidelines and instructions with math and engineering basics designed to support technical knowledge with further information on applications. Engineers will find this an accessible and outstanding survey.


The Education Shelf

Close Writing
Paula Bourque
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625310538, $26.00, www.stenhouse.com

Close Writing: Developing Purposeful Writers in Grades 2-6 maintains that closely analyzing works for their effectiveness produces better writing, and that this approach can be cultivated in very early grade levels. It's designed to be useful for a variety of lesson plans and educational approaches, and it offers a range of inspirational examples, from student mentor texts and revision and rereading processes to narrowing the scope of writing to prevent student overwhelm and understanding common patterns in fiction and nonfiction alike. Black and white photos, charts, and discussions of writing clubs and other approaches make for a fresh, lively collection of insights teachers will appreciate.

Parent Engagement in Early Learning
Julie Powers
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605544380, $29.95, www.redleafpress.org

Parent Engagement in Early Learning: Strategies for Working with Families appears in its second edition to not only encourage family engagement in a child's educational process, but to show teachers how to improve and encourage parent-teacher communications. From developing and enforcing new policies and understanding the modern family's special concerns and challenges to using social media and developing or revising school or classroom policies, this encourages teachers to understand and tackle the basics of communicating with parents. The addition of case history examples makes for a specific, important guide especially recommended for teachers who find parents challenging and who want to craft better lines of communication with improved results for all.

The Novice Advantage
Jonathan Eckert
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwinpress.com
9781506328744, $24.00, www.corwin.com

The Novice Advantage: Fearless Practice for Every Teacher provides the idea that the best teachers grow and become better by tasking risks and revising the results of these risks for better classroom strategies. This book is all about how to take and assess these risks, showing how to use a novice's insights to build a better career and improve teaching routines. From new strategies to teach students to fearless self-assessment processes, The Novice Advantage is a 'must' for any teacher serious about improving the process of learning through a fresh, new approach.


The Terrorism Studies Shelf

The United States and Terrorism
Ron Hirschbein
Rowman & Littlefield
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781442237773, $65.00, www.roman.com

The United States and Terrorism: An Ironic Perspective belongs in any college-level collection strong in political science in general and terrorist issues in particular, and offers an assessment of the pros and cons of current U.S. policies on terrorism. It blends a history of how the concept of terrorism has changed over the decades with a survey of changing techniques around the world employed to fight it, and it includes especially thought-provoking passages on how terror methods are condoned in some scenarios and condemned in others. This approach offers college-level classrooms much food for thought and, in particular, fodder for lively discussion and debate, making it a top recommendation above over discussions of the subject.


The Sports Shelf

Where the Road Ends
Meghan M. Hicks and Bryon Powell
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9781492513285, $21.95, www.humankinetics.com

Every year, numerous runners and athletes discover trail running in nature, but most running books are devoted to track and urban surfaces and experiences. This is why Where the Road Ends is a refreshingly different approach: with its techniques specific to running over dirt, sand, or rock and its recommendations tailored to the trail runner's conditioning routines and tips on safety and even water crossings, chapters are packed with keys to successful running from hydration and different climate conditions to handling hidden obstacles and improving trail safety. No trail runner should be without this specific guide!


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Warmup Guy
Bob Perlow and Richard John Cummins
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455621507, $22.95, www.pelicanpub.com

The Warmup Guy provides a biographical and professional sketch of Bob Perlow, a 'warmup comedian' who worked from the 1970s to the early 200s to keep live studio audiences laughing during lengthy studio taping sessions, and it covers not only his life but his encounters with TV actors, show production, and audiences alike. Fun stories of these encounters come embedded with Perlow's unique and funny observational style as they inject a sense of fun into the serious subject of how comedy and television work together and, often, behind the scenes. The result is a lively survey that will be appreciated not just by prior Perlow fans, but by any interested in the processes and stories of live audience television production.

I Wanna Be a Producer
John Breglio
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
9781495045165, $29.99, www.applausebooks.com

I Wanna Be a Producer: How to Make a Killing on Broadway... Or Get Killed tells of a Broadway veteran with over 40 years of experience who considers how to produce a successful Broadway play and how not to. All of his tips come from first-hand knowledge in the industry, and consider not just a producer's artistic challenge (which is what most books on producing seem to cover), but the business and legal sides of the effort, as well. Breglio has experiences with literally hundreds of other producers, playwrights, composers and directors, as well: his goal is to synthesize all these experiences under one cover for any who would understand what really happens backstage and how to prepare for it.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Ten Prayers That Changed the World
Jean-Pierre Isbouts
National Geographic Books
101 West 104th Street, Suite 8, New York, NY 10025
9781426216442, $24.00, www.nationalgeographic.com/books

Ten Prayers That Changed the World: Extraordinary Stories of Faith That Shaped the Course of History provides a colorful, involving survey of the stories behind ten prayers that succeeded in influencing the course of world events, and blends a historical survey of these events with a consideration of how the prayers originated, evolved, and came to be so powerful. Chapters go back to Biblical times, starting with Abraham's plea to God and move through history from Joan of Arc to Gandhi as they take each prayer and consider its origins and how it evolved. The result is a powerful survey that's highly recommended for any who like historical inspection and a general survey of how faith and its messages are transmitted.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

In the Labyrinth of Drakes: A Memoir by Lady Trent
Marie Brennan
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
9780765377630, $25.99, www.tor-forge.com

In the Labyrinth of Drakes offers the second of Isabella's memoirs and the fourth book in the Lady Trent series, and is highly recommended for readers with a special affection for alternate worlds of fantasy. In this world of the 19th century a female faces new challenges over long journeys, dragons, and struggles with a kind of curiosity that is usually bred or trained out of high-born ladies. She dares to romp with beasts and undertakes expeditions in defiance of her class and the odds of her world in a compelling saga that's nearly impossible to put down, even for newcomers to the Lady Trent adventures.

Freak Show of the Gods
Robert W. Bly
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
9781610352635, $16.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

Freak Show of the Gods and Other Stories of the Bizarre blends science fiction with a touch of horror and the strange ala Twilight-Zone style, offering a series of short stories that will delight fans of Bradbury and similar writers. From what happens when retired super-heroes can't get their benefits to a time machine invention that is halted not by the constraints physics but by an IRS audit process, each story offers satisfying twists of theme and is an outstandingly sharp presentation. The divergences in theme and plot set each apart from the other and make for outstanding stories that are hard to put down.

Isaac Asimov's I, Robot: To Preserve
Mickey Zucker Reichert
Roc
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451242303, $27.00, www.penguin.com

Isaac Asimov's I, Robot: To Preserve is recommended reading for any who loved Asimov's 'robot' series titles and who want a continuation of the theme. Here Mickey Zucker Reichert takes up the reins, setting his story in 2037 where robotic technology has resulted in self-aware AI entities, and revolves around N8-C or Nate, a prototype robot who was created to interact with people and serve as a hospital's resident robot. When murder strikes and Nate seems obviously guilty, trouble shakes society to its roots in this riveting, absorbing sci-fi thriller.

Silence
Mercedes Lackey and Cody Martin
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476781235, $25.00, www.baen.com

Silence at first glance seems to be another teen coming-of-age novel as Staci's father remarries and her new stepmother returns her to her alcoholic mother in the dying small Maine town of Silence. Staci chafes at the lack of technology and its primitive state which disconnects her from the world she's known - but more is happening in Silence than she realizes, and soon she's caught up in a mystery that challenges anything she's known before. As Silence emerges to become something greater than a simple small town, so Staci finds herself at the center of something bigger than anything she's known. Driven by a compelling young adult protagonist, Silence is hard to put down.


The Business Shelf

How to Work for an Idiot
John Hoover, PhD
Career Press
12 Parish Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470
9781601631916, $15.99, www.careerpress.com

How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive Without Killing Your Boss has been revised and expanded to include more information on leadership incompetency and how to overcome it, and provides an assertive program to dealing with a common problem. Even more examples of idiots and idiotic situations are outlined along with how an employee or co-worker can protect themselves and keep the 'idiot boss' in check. Case history examples pair well with specific profiles of different managerial approaches and psyches in an outstanding coverage.

Inside Content Marketing
Theresa Cramer
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781937290061, $17.95, www.infotoday.com

Inside Content Marketing uses profiles and interviews from a variety of successful content marketers to explain both the discipline and approaches of content marketing and how to understand and apply the rules and strategies for this kind of journalism. Chapters show how to assess and hire a journalist, how to understand the changes in the publishing world and how they affect content marketing efforts, and common problems encountered along the way. Any involved in marketing will find this a specific guide that uses interviews with leading content marketers to explore the latest requirements and obstacles in the discipline.

The Complete Guide to Government Contract Types
Kenneth R. Segel
Management Concepts Press
8230 Leesburg Pike, Tysons Corner, VA 22182
9781567264685, $59.00, www.managementconcepts.com

The Complete Guide to Government Contract Types offers a review of key government contracts and purchases, and is an invaluable guide to any involved in government contracting approaches. Contracting officers are charged with considering which contract will be best for the government, and this overview of these different options explains the selection process for contract vehicles and how they work. Any contractor who contemplates working with the government must have this key to understanding the selection process.

The 10 Laws of Trust
Joel Peterson with David A. Kaplan
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
9780814437452, $15.95, www.amacombooks.org

The 10 Laws of Trust: Building the Bonds That Make a Business Great shows leaders how to avoid or reverse a failure in trust, and covers not just the process of building trust, but repairing it when it fails. From innovation and collaborative processes to understanding the basic 'laws' of trust and how they operate, this lesson on leadership is particularly important for any businesses who pursue excellence and personal integrity, and who would better understand all the facets that influence the development of trust.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Civil War Legacies III
Carol Hopkins
Martingale
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
9781604687484, $24.99, www.ShopMartingale.com

Civil War Legacies III provides a specific set of quilts for reproduction-fabric lovers, and offers sixteen quilt patterns that can be made from small scraps and approaches that look like antiques. Clear close-up photos pair with patterns for not just quilts but quilted wall hangings, doll beds, and more, while step-by-step directions on material, cutting, making blocks, and assembling the finished product leave nothing to wonder. The result will delight any modern quilter who likes the vintage look.

The Magic of Half-Square Triangles
Peggy Holt
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604602135, $24.95, www.americanquilter.com

The Magic of Half-Square Triangles focuses on these triangles for modern quilt-making, but differs from general quilting books in several ways. First, an introduction to quilting terms assumes no prior quilter knowledge and makes terminology accessible and simple. Secondly, design notes and tips are incorporated into each project to assure virtually foolproof results. Add a survey of fabrics and reference charts and pair them with a wealth of color photos and patch block examples and you have a winning production that is filled with inviting new and traditional approaches to half-square applications.

Bright & Bold Wool Applique
Angela Lawrence
Landauer Publishing
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A, Urbandale, Iowa 50322
9781935726814, $24.95, www.landauercorp.com

Bright & Bold Wool Applique offers a baker's dozen of unique projects in an overall introduction to working with wool applique, and is recommended for any who would work with the new colors and styles of hand-dyed wools. Quilters will find much to like in this discussion of how these may be blended into a quilt project, and will appreciate the focus on step-by-step techniques and clear assembly instructions that leave nothing to wonder.


The Crafts Shelf

Zen Origami
Maria Sinayskaya
Race Point
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781631061974, $19.99, www.quartoknows.com

Zen Origami: 20 Modular Forms for Meditation and Calm shows how to translate Zen objectives into the folds and forms of modular origami, creating a link between craft and mindfulness which will appeal to new age readers and crafts followers alike. The projects will appeal to all levels, from novices who have never done origami to those who have completed many folding forms, and come in the form of easy 1-paper unit folds that can be assembled to create something different. Repetitive folds are advocated for connecting to a meditative state of calm that stills thoughts and creates absorbing motions, making for a highly recommended gift package for any Zen follower.

Rubberband Engineer
Lance Akiyama
Rockport
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781631591044, $22.95, www.QuartoKnows.com

Rubber Band Engineer: Build Slingshot Powered Rockets, Rubber Band Rifles, Unconventional Catapults, and More Guerrilla Gadgets from Household Hardware by Lance Akiyama is a delightful crafts guide for all ages to enjoy, and teaches the basics of how to built slightshot rockets, rubber band rifles, catapults, and more. These nineteen projects can all be made from tools and materials common to any household, and include tips for a magic box and paper plane launcher along with other rubber band-based designs. Packed with step-by-step illustrations throughout, Rubber Band Engineer is a 'must' for any who would enjoy papercraft or small project engineering based on the rubber band.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Emergency Medicine, seventh edition
Anthony FT Brown and Michael D. Cadogan
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781498714273, $49.95, www.crcpress.com

The 7th updated edition of Emergency Medicine: Diagnosis and Management has been completely revised and expanded to include the latest emergency protocols, and is designed to provide at-a-glance reference information that's quick to locate and clear in its applications. The key to using this is to go through it once, absorbing its tips and techniques and to understand its organization and information before keeping it on hand as an emergency medicine manual. From diagnosis to management, EMTs will find it a solid reference, and many a medical student will likely find it assigned reading.


The Biography Shelf

It's A Long Story: My Life
Willie Nelson with David Ritz
Back Bay Books
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316403542, $18.99, www.backbaybooks.com

Willie Nelson's autobiography has been available in hardcover, but the appearance of this memoir in paperback offers new audiences a powerful survey of his life and times. Nelson was raised by his grandparents on a small Texas farm and established himself as a songwriter against all odds. His numerous contributions to country music are as well known as he is: here he shares the story of how he built his life and career, offering many insights into the evolution of Nashville as a whole in the process of recounting his heritage and life. No country music collection should be without this powerful saga by one of the iconic figures of the genre.

Forty Years Master: A Life in Sail & Steam
Daniel O. Killman
Texas A&M University Press
4354 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-4354
9781623493806, $35.00, www.tamupress.com

Forty Years Master: A Life in Sail & Steam comes from an author who spent over fifty years at sea, and who had numerous adventures during the process, from being shipwrecked to discovering gold in Alaska and everything in between. His last decades of sailing ships is edited nearly forth years after his death into an account that provides a fine maritime history going beyond personal experience, delving into the changing world of nautical events. The result is a powerful account of Pacific Coast history, highly recommended for any nautical collection or holdings strong in maritime experiences and events.


The Fiction Shelf

The Fireman
Joe Hill
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.harpercollins.com
9780062200631, $28.99, www.harpercollins.com

The Fireman tells of a new type of plague that spreads across the country's cities: a contagious spore that causes its host to burst into flames. Millions are infected by this incurable disease - and that's where Harper, a dedicated nurse out of a job - comes in when she discovers the beginnings of plague in herself. She and her husband had agreed that should either discover this, they would end their lives rather than let the virus have its way - but that was before Harper's pregnancy. As their community collapses and the world changes, Harper faces plague and pregnancy alone in this powerful saga of survival and death, especially recommended for fans of apocalyptic fiction.

Masks and Shadows
Stephanie Burgis
Pyr
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633881327, $17.00, www.pyrsf.com

Masks and Shadows is set in 1779 and centers around Carlo, a famous castrato singer in Europe who has been invited to the royal palace as a guest. Thrown in unexpectedly with a band of diverse individuals which includes an alchemist, a spy, and a widow, a host of secrets and a plot to assassinate the emperor emerge in a story that joins two very different personalities together. As a blend of historical novel and intrigue piece, Masks and Shadows offers much depth and detail perfect for any who would absorb a story line set in a European society on the cusp of vast changes that only two very different individuals can challenge.


The California Shelf

The Big 50: The Men and Moments That Made the San Francisco Giants
Daniel Brown
Triumph Books
814 N. Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
9781629372020, $16.95, www.triumphbooks.com

The Big 50: The Men and Moments That Made the San Francisco Giants comes from a sports writer who has covered the Giants for two local news sources since 1995, and narrows its focus to the fifty men and playing moments that have contributed to the Giants baseball team's current fame. Stories of players, team dynamics, overthinkers and inning victories and defeats, and more accompany full-page color photos of players being profiled and sidebars of statistics. The result is a powerful collection highly recommended for any enthusiast of baseball history and culture in general and Giants plays in particular.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design